May 09, (THEWILL) – Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu, has announced his withdrawal from the 2023 presidential race.
While opting to return to the upper chamber of the National Assembly, the former Abia State Governor, congratulated Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, for joining the presidential race.
Kalu had consistently said that for equity and justice, the two zones that should be given preference in the 2023 presidential race were South East and North East, which have not produced the President. He said he would only contest for the post if the All Progressives Congress (APC) zoned the ticket to South East.
In a statement, Kalu said: “I congratulate my friend, former roommate and boss, Senator Ahmad Lawan, as he chooses to run for President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under our great party, All Progressives Congress (APC). I am most glad because he is from the North East, the only zone alongside the South East that is yet to produce the President of Nigeria.
“I have always maintained an unambiguous stand that for justice, equity and fairness in our country, the next president of Nigeria after President Muhammadu Buhari should come from the South East or the North East.
“I have also told Nigerians that I would only run for president if the two major political parties (APC and PDP) zone their tickets to the South East. That is why I was disappointed with our southern brothers, who are talking about fairness and equity, but have zero tolerance for the same fairness and equity in the South.
“In the absence of a South Easterner being president of Nigeria in 2023, I have my full support for a North Easterner. This is because it would be the closest to the equity, fairness and Justice everyone is talking about. It further means that justice is on its way to the South East.
“I thank those who said they have picked the presidential form for me because they meant well for Nigerians.
“However, since there is no zoning and the contest is open to all Nigerians, I officially withdraw from the presidential contest in 2023. I have also picked a ticket to run for Abia North Senatorial zone and to complete the good work I started in Abia North.
“I urge all my friends, allies and supporters in the APC to toe the line of justice by supporting Senator Ahmad Lawan, a North Easterner for the presidential ticket of the APC.”
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