The Senate Chief Whip and former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor-Kalu, has congratulated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for electing former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, as its candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
Kalu said in a statement on Sunday, that Atiku’s victory in the PDP presidential primary election meant that Nigerians have understood his political calculations about 2023.
He argued that since Abubakar hails from North East geo-political zone, the All Progressives Congress (APC) should also give its ticket to a North Easterner too.
“I congratulate the PDP for electing a North Easterner her presidential candidate. Nigerians must have seen what I saw yesterday. For our party the APC, it is no longer feasible to talk about Southern candidates except the APC wants to go on political retirement.
“I urge the National Chairman of the party and the entire NWC to stamp their feet and zone APC presidential ticket to the North East,” he said.
“President Muhammad Buhari has a right to choose his successor and I call on him to pick Senator Ahmad Lawan as his successor.
“In every democratic setting, presidents and 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.
“Congratulations to the North East as we look forward to a president of Nigeria from the North East”.