A former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has said insisted the that the South-East and other zones should wait till 2023 to produce the president while the north must complete its terms in 2019.
Kalu who spoke with journalists yesterday, after a closed-door meeting with former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, at his Minna Hilltop Mansion, said even if President Muhammadu Buhari is not contesting the 2019 presidential election, another northerner should emerge as his successor.
His words: “If Buhari would not want to contest the 2019 presidency like I will always say and maintain, my position is that the North should be allowed to complete its second term, making it eight years. “If Buhari is not contesting, even though he is entitled to a second term, the North should still present another candidate.
“This is the turn of the North. Even though I am a Nigerian and I am also entitled to the presidency, fairness is paramount.
“Other zones should wait and be ready for 2023. But for now, I still maintain my position and I am not afraid of anybody. This is the turn of the North. Anybody can take me for what I say. Whoever that is castigating me over my position on this matter is wasting his time. I live by the truth and I will be ready to speak the truth always. Opinion is an entitlement, and that is my opinion given to me by God.”
On the cry of marginalisation by some parts of the country, especially the South-East, Kalu said: “Igbo are not the only marginalised people in the country, each zone has its peculiar challenge.”
The former governor said the main reason for various agitations across the country, including that of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is lack of infrastructure and basic amenities. He, however, noted that “the solution to these agitations is justice and fairness by the government. The Federal Government should build roads, provide water, let children have access to education and we should all respect the law.”
He further said: “The absence of all these is responsible for whatever agitation you are seeing. Not only IPOB is being marginalised, every part of this country is marginalised.
“When I was coming to Niger, I passed through the Minna-Suleja Road and I concluded that not only the eastern part of the country is marginalised. All parts of the country are marginalised.” Reacting to attacks on him by some IPOB members, Kalu said: “I did not say anything bad about IPOB, they have the right to carry their flags around and agitate, but they don’t have the right to divide Nigeria.
“What I said, and it is clear, Nnamdi Kalu’s brother told me that he has left the country, and I was not looking for him for any bad intention; I was looking for him to be able to call the federal authority that he is with me, so that we can discuss the way forward. People misunderstood my intention. I was just after peace because burning down our state (Abia) wouldn’t have been the best option.
“And again, the lives of over 15 million Igbo in the North are more important than one person. That is the issue. So, we need to take control of the situation.” When asked of his purpose and outcome of his meeting with Babangida, Kalu said: “I am in Minna because it is one of my homes and also this is one of my regular visits to Minna.