Orji Uzor Kalu, senate Chief Whip has said nine presidential aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are ready to step down for Ahmad Lawan, president of the senate.
Lawan, a late entrant into the 2023 presidential race, obtained the N100 million APC presidential forms last week.
Though Kalu did not list their names of the APC aspirants planning to step down for Lawan, he was the first to drop his presidential ambition in support of Lawan on the grounds of APC’s failure to zone the presidential ticket to the South-East.
“Lawan’s candidature will rock like a hurricane. The issue of the APC presidential candidate will be settled even before the primaries. As I am talking to you, about nine presidential aspirants from our party have intimated me of their plans to drop their presidential ambition to support Ahmad Lawan.”
“Does that not signify victory before the election? Lawan’s candidature will rock like a hurricane. Lawan is from the North-East and has similar sympathy with the South-East that is yet to produce President.
“I have repeated my reasons for dropping my ambition for Lawan many times and I am sure Nigerians are aware already. We are also expecting an influential presidential aspirant from the opposition to join the APC.
“So, you can see the party is very progressive and properly ready for Lawan’s emergence.”
On the call for the postponement of primary by some political parties, Kalu said he did not expect the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to listen to them.
He said the parties were duly informed and should have prepared well as mandated by the electoral body.
“Extension of the dates will only support irresponsibility. Nigerians find it difficult to keep to time and appointments and that is why they would always seek extra time.”
“I support INEC to stick to their timetable, otherwise we will be living with postponement after postponement. Such a trend is not healthy for a society and its people.
“We complain of indiscipline but not ready to be practical about the requirements of discipline. INEC should discipline any party that fails to meet up, because that is the only way they can take their jobs seriously,” Kalu said.