Former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has asked the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to make him the Deputy President of the 9th Senate, otherwise he will begin the campaign for Senate Presidency.
He said this while indicating his interest to contest for the position of Deputy Senate President in the soon-to-be constituted 9th National Assembly.
Kalu also wants the APC to zone the position to the South-East “in the interest of equity and justice.”
The Abia North Senator-elect who spoke with newsmen on Wednesday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos noted that he was aware that the APC, which has the majority in the forthcoming Senate, has zoned the Senate presidency to the North-East and the Deputy Senate President to the North-West. Kalu said: “I’m a very loyal party man. The party has zoned the Senate presidency to the North-East and I want to respect the party’s will; but the second position is what we are not going to allow to leave the South-East.
“So, as far as I’m concerned, in the South-East, I’m going to run openly on the floor of the House for the position of Deputy Senate President. “I am not going to listen to the party, neither will I listen to anybody. Nobody that wants to be the Deputy Senate President is more loyal than I am to the party. “I have suffered for the party and have been called by Nigerians to come out. I want the party to respect the will of every other person and I’m committed to democracy and contesting on the floor of the House.”
According to him, Articles One and 50 of the Constitution make it clear that members of the National Assembly in-house can elect their principal officers.
