Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Kalu, says the North-East remains the only alternative to the South-East presidency.

Mr Kalu, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, reaffirmed his support to the North-East in the absence of the presidency being zoned to the South-East by political parties.

He said his position was because no Igbo man loved the Igbo people more than he does.

Mr Kalu, who had been advocating for a South-East presidency in 2023, had also in January announced his personal interest in the office.

However, in a recent statement, the former governor of Abia said he decided to withdraw from the race since there was “no zoning in APC”.

A foremost nationalist, Mbazuluike Amechi, had criticised Mr Kalu for seemingly abandoning the quest for South-East presidency and throwing his weight behind Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

“However, I totally disagree with him and his opinion about my support for the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan,” the senator said.

He added,”If we should stick to every of the expectations enumerated in the statement he allegedly signed, we would be making similar mistakes we made in the past.”

Describing himself as a detribalised Nigerian, Mr Kalu added that he remained a very realistic and optimistic Igbo man.

The former governor of Abia said people had easily forgotten the “too many prices” he paid in defence of Ndigbo. 

“I expected that the president, after President Buhari, will emerge from the South-East. That was why I was constantly urging all the political parties to be fair to every region of this country.”

He argued that the presidency should be zoned to either South-East or the North-East, as the two zones had not provided the president.

“Unless the two parties zone their tickets to the South-East, there is no fairness. I believe the zoning was the best means a South-Easterner could become president,” Mr Kalu said.

According to him, the South-East supported the South-West in 1999 and also supported the South-South in 2011 and 2015.

“So, what stops South-West and South-South aspirants from withdrawing from the race to support only the South-East aspirants?” he added.

(NAN)