Senator Chris Adighije, the Chairman Governing Council and Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State, has lent his support to the Senate President’s aspiration of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the Chief Whip of the Senate.
Adighije gave his support to the Senate Chief Whip when he paid him a condolence visit over the death of his wife, Mrs. Ifeoma Kalu in Abuja.
The Pro-Chancellor in his remarks described Senator Kalu as the “oldest National Assembly legislator having been elected to the House of Representatives in 1992. Senator Adighije, the Chairman of the Abia State All Progressives Congress (APC) Stakeholders said the former State governor has the requisite credentials to lead the 10th Senate”.
Adighije, who was in the 2nd Assembly extolled the administrative acumen of the Chief Whip, stating that he performed more than any other governor in Abia State since 1999 till date.
He stated that among those aspiring for the position of the Senate President, Senator Kalu has the national acceptability, as he has a reach in the North, South West, South South and South East.
The Pro-chancellor however, used the opportunity to call on his party, APC to zone the Senate Presidency to the South East, stating that it is deserving of them, having produced two governors and six Senators.
According to him, it would be wrong and uncharitable for anybody to insinuate that the South East did not work or vote for the victory of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Adighije, who spoke to select journalists in Abuja said, “l just visited my brother, my friend, the former governor of my state, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to pay him condolence over the death of his wife, Ifeoma Kalu.
“The former Abia State governor is a man of strong will and an astute politician who is capable of occupying and handling any political office.
“As my political associate, l believe sincerely that Kalu has what it takes to lead the 10th Senate, as Senate President.
“Kalu, l would say is the longest serving National Assembly member and most experienced, having been in the House of Representatives in 1992.
“It is pertinent also to call on my party, the APC to cede the position of the Senate President to the South East. I have since read many other zones agitating for the Senate President slot. For me that would be an injustice of the highest sorts.
“For us to build the desired nation of unity, peace, justice, etc, we must sincerely accommodate every segment of the country and that accommodation should be that the Senate President should be ceded to the South East.
“I sincerely believe that the President-elect would be in his appointment and zoning of political offices.
“I want to use this opportunity also to call on those that the President-elect listens to not to mislead him by giving him bad advice.”