Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has again urged President Muhammadu Buhari to consider picking the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate of APC ahead of 2023 general elections., ABN TV reports.
Sen. Kalu a former governor of Abia State had a few days ago shortly after the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as PDP presidential candidate called on President Muhammadu Buhari to pick Lawan as his successor in order for APC not to embark on political retirement.
In a release on Thursday, Sen. Kalu said Lawan if elected as the country’s next President will stabilise the country, secure all parts of it and take its development seriously.
He said, “I urge President Muhammed Buhari to consider giving Nigeria a man who can give the entire country a sense of belonging; fix our economy; secure all parts of the country; take education very seriously, and protect his legacy.
“The man Nigerians can trust is Senator Ahmad Lawan.
“Picking Ahmad Lawan as the consensus candidate of the APC will heal and stabilize the country as it is the closest to equity, justice, and fairness.”
He also advised those who think the presidency of the country can be purchased with money to stop throwing their money around.
He said the Nigerian masses will collect the money and still vote their conscience.
“The earliest Nigerians and presidential aspirants understand that no amount of money can buy the president of the country , the better for everyone.
“It is only cohesion and consensus among the regions that can produce a president. If you throw in money, majority of the electorates will collect the money but still vote according to their conscience.
“If money can buy the office of the president of Nigeria, Late MKO Abiola could have bought it with extra change. If money can buy the president, former President Goodluck Jonathan could have bought the presidential seat in 2015” he noted.
The lawmaker insists that in the absence of a South-East President, North East is closer to fairness, equity, and justice.
“I strongly believe that the fairness Nigerians need is to produce a president from the South East of Nigeria. In the absence of the South-East, it is the North East.
“These two regions are the only ones yet to produce the president of Nigeria and since the opposition has gone North-East, it is ideal and wise that the APC go North-East.
“I am sure Nigerians will not waste their votes on any candidate that is not from the two regions in the next year’s general elections and following years,” he concluded.