2023: Orji Kalu Withdraws From Presidential Race, Backs North-East

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor-Kalu, on Monday, announced his withdrawal from the 2023 presidential contest.

According to the former governor of Abia State, he made the decision after learning that the presidential contest is open to all Nigerians.

Throwing his weight behind the presidential ambition of the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, Kalu said he made the decision because Lawan is from the North-East which, like the South-East, is yet to produce a president.

He made this known in a statement titled, ‘2023 Presidency: Zoning And Support For Ahmad Lawan,’

He wrote, “I congratulate my friend, former roommate and boss, Senator Ahmad Lawan, as he picks form to run for President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under our great party, All Progressives Congress. I am most glad because he is from the North-East, the only zone alongside the South-East that is yet to produce president of Nigeria.

“I have always maintained an unambiguous stand that for justice, equity and fairness in our country, the next president of Nigeria after President Muhammadu Buhari should come from the South-East or the North-East.

“I have also told Nigerians that I would only run for president if the two major political parties (APC and PDP) zone their tickets to the South-East. That is why I was disappointed with our southern brothers who are talking about fairness and equity but have zero tolerance for the same fairness and equity in the South.

“In the absence of a South-Easterner being president of Nigeria in 2023, I have my full support for a North-Easterner. This is because it would be the closest to the equity, fairness and justice everyone is talking about. It further means that justice is on its way to the South-East.

“I thank those who said they have picked presidential form for me because they meant well for Nigerians.

“However, since there is no zoning and the contest is open to all Nigerians, I officially withdraw from the presidential contest in 2023. I have also picked ticket to run for Abia North Senatorial zone and to complete the good work I started in Abia North.

“I urge all my friends, allies and supporters in the APC to toe the line of justice by supporting Senator Ahmad Lawan, a North-Easterner for the presidential ticket of the APC.”