Orji Uzor Kalu, former Abia State Governor and current Senate Majority Whip, has asserted that he is the most politically significant figure in the South-East region, strongly dismissing the notion that the title belongs to the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Kalu made the claim during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday.
When directly asked if Igbos should rally behind Peter Obi in future elections, Senator Kalu initially declined extensive comment but insisted on a head-to-head debate to discuss Obi’s political standing.
“I’m a member of the APC and I don’t want to discuss Peter Obi. Each time you mention him, I become uncomfortable because I’ve told you before—any day you want to discuss Peter Obi with me, give us two hours, put him there, and put me here. Then we’ll sort it out,” Kalu stated.
However, when pressed on whether Obi had become the political leader of the South-East, Kalu outright rejected the idea, emphasizing his own history of political achievements.
“He’s not my leader, I am the most important politician from that zone,” Kalu insisted.
To back his claim, Kalu cited his past electoral success under the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA). “I have won two states before under PPA. I ran for president before, my 4.9 million votes in 2007 are still there. We achieved a lot with PPA. We had ministers, ambassadors, and other appointments under President Yar’Adua.”
On the topic of his own future political aspirations, the Senator stated that age would not be a barrier to running for president again if the opportunity arose. Citing the example of politicians like President Donald Trump, Kalu focused on capability over age.
“If I’m healthy and God gives me life, I can still contest. The question is not age, it’s competency. It’s about what is in my brain and what I can deliver,” he concluded.
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