The Managing Director/CEO of the Nigerian Film Corporation(NFC) and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Party (APC), Dr Chidia Maduekwe, has described the Chief Whip of the Senate , Orji Uzor Kalu (OUK) as a steadfast supporter of the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT).
This was as the South East spokesman of the Bola Tinubu presidential campaign council, Dr. Josef Onoh, allegedly stated that Sen. Kalu “is insincere in his afterthought support for the Tinubu presidency.”
Onoh, in the report, alleged that Kanu’s choice for the 2023 elections was for a person from the northeast to become the president of Nigeria, an allegation that has been widely condemned by APC supporters in the South East, as well as political associates of OUK across the country.
According to Maduekwe who stated this in a chat with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday while reacting to the report, said the statement by Onoh is baseless and far from the truth as the Senator representing Abia North has always expressed his convincing support for Tinubu presidential ambition both within and outside the state and was committed to delivering his senatorial zone for APC .
Madukwe said that Onoh cannot become a minister by hacking down key APC stakeholders in his state and Abia State, adding: “You cannot become a minister in the upcoming APC government by hacking down key APC stalwarts in the Southeast since we need the numbers to win the mandatory 2/3 1/4 spread nationwide.”
He expressed his dismay that such a divisive statement was coming from a critical stakeholder just few days to the presidential polls that party members were supposed to join hands towards delivering Abia State and the region for Bola Tinubu.
According to him,” Orji Uzor Kalu has never hidden his love and affiliation for the party and Asiwaju. Infact, he is one of the very Igbo leaders standing for the party since he joined it. Such statement does not portray him rightly.
“This is totally wrong and uncalled for. The truth is that OUK has majorly laid the foundation for BAT to get his substantial vote from his senatorial district. Coming at this hour to lampoon him in the media space is not any measure of intelligence.
“ At all political campaigns in ABIA north OUK always makes it mandatory for him to be elected that voters must vote the broom three times-President,Senate and House of Reps.
“This strategy is being driven by the massive infrastructure development he brought to Abia North within the past three and a half years. No senator living or dead attracted such a humongous impact on the area. These achievements are being used to campaign for BAT as an APC-inspired development.
“It is so sad that within few days to the election such an unnecessary write-up is being published to rob off the enthusiasm we are building up here,” he added.
The NFC helmsman therefore urged party members from the region , especially those from Abia North senatorial district to remain resolute, united and focused in order to secure victory at the polls for the party.
