Field southern candidate, go on political retirement, Kalu tells APC

The Senator representing Abia North in the upper chamber, Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged the All Progressives Congress not to field a Southerner for the 2023 presidential race, saying it could lead the party into political retirement.

The Senate Chief Whip, in a statement on Sunday, congratulated the PDP for electing the former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate in the 2023 election.

He, however, noted that the victory in the PDP presidential primary election meant that Nigerians have understood his political calculations about 2023.

According to him, with Atiku’s emergence, “it is no longer feasible to talk about Southern candidates except the APC want to go on political retirement.”

The lawmaker advised the National Chairman of the APC and the entire NWC to stamp their feet and zone APC presidential ticket to the North East.

While establishing that President Muhammad Buhari has a right to choose his successor, Kalu urged the president to pick Senator Ahmad Lawan as the one to step in when he eventually leaves office in 2023.

“In every democratic setting, presidents, governors support and pick their successors. I call on President Buhari to pick a successor from the North East and that will be the equity the South East needs. With the North East, the cycle will be closest to completion of regions producing the president of Nigeria.

“By now, all APC aspirants should drop their ambition and support a North Easterner; Senator Ahmad Lawan is the destination,” the former Abia State Governor said.