Senate: the race for 10th assembly leadership opens
The ninth senate ends in June and the race for the leadership of the 10th assembly has fully opened. A former Abia State governor Orji Kalu has thrown his hat into the ring to jostle for the seat currently occupied by Ahmad Lawan.
There have been speculations from some quarters that the president elect and his party, the All Progressives Congress, will most likely pick the former Akwa Ibom governor, Godswill Akpabio for the top job.
Mr. Orji Kalu is currently the chief whip of the ninth senate and he wants to step up to occupy the post of the chairman of the National Assembly.
He told the pressmen, “It is my turn to become the Senate President. If I’m elected Senate President, I will be team Nigeria. I’m going to work in every corner of Nigeria.”
He highlighted some things that make him qualify for the job of leading the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
Mr. Kalu argued that he had schooled in the northern city of Maiduguri, Borno State. He claimed that he began his business in Lagos and had spread it across all the state capitals in the country.
The ambitious senate presidency aspirant said, “I schooled in Maiduguri, Borno State. I started my business in Lagos and spread it across all state capitals. My first name will be team Nigeria, my last name will be team Nigeria.”
The All Progressives Congress has won more seats than other political parties in the country. Hence, it is going to form the leadership of the chamber. But the party lost Abia State in the presidential election.
That alone could seriously hinder the bid of Mr. Orji Kalu. The party and Bola Tinubu got enough votes in Akwa Ibom state. And Akpabio even stepped down for Tinubu during the primary election.
As part of his reasons for vying for the seat of the Senate President, Orji Kalu said, “Remember, I’m the only former governor who has never changed phone lines for more than 20 years. I’m still willing to maintain that telephone number to answer all my calls. I’m not going to switch off my phones because I’m Senate President.”
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