I’m Not In The Race For Abia North Senatorial District – Kalu

Orji-KaluA former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, has reiterated that he is no longer in the Abia North Senatorial district contest on the platform of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).

He was reacting to the inclusion of his name on the list of candidates to vie in the race released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The former governor said he remains a committed member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The statement read: “My attention has been drawn to news that made the rounds today, in both print and electronic media, that I would be candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in the February 14 National Assembly election.

“According to the news credited to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), my name was on the list as the candidate of the PPA for Abia North Senatorial District.

“Yes, I had a special affinity with the PPA, as I was one of the founding fathers of the party and even stood on its platform in the 2007 presidential election, but since I formally returned to the PDP, a party where I was also a co-founder and financier, I had been fully committed to the PDP.

“Nigerians would recall that sometimes in December 2014, I had a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, at the Presidential Villa at the parley, the president appealed to me not to leave the party again, despite the injustices meted to me by the Abia State chapter of the party.

“No primaries held in Abia, delegates were just handpicked, thereby excluding anybody who was not in the camp of the governor, Chief T. A. Orji, from any political aspiration.

“At the meeting with the President, I told the media that I was satisfied with the outcome. What I meant was that since I had given my word to the President, to the PDP National Chairman, and to other key stakeholders, that I would then stay in the party”.