.Explains crisis within APC
By Umaru Shehu,
Minna
The leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is safe and currently in London.
The former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, disclosed this when he visited former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), in Minna, Niger State, to drum support for a second-tenure for President Muhammadu Buhari.
Though, he did not give details, it was believed that Kalu was countering the impression that the IPOB leader was in the custody of Nigerian military.
Kalu said, “Nnamdi Kanu is where I told you he is; he is in London. He is safe.”
Kalu also explained that he was in Minna to woo former President Ibrahim Babangida to support the second term of President Muhamnadu Buhari, stressing, ‘‘virtually all the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential aspirants had been coming to him for blessings’’.
On the meeting with Babangida, which lasted two hours, the Abia State former governor said, “I have talked to him (Babangida) to allow Buhari finish his second term; we discussed; he is thinking about it. February 16 is still a long way.
“Our discussion was positive; it was blue and white”, arguing however that all that Nigeria needed was to build cohesion in the nation.
“We need continuity of government and that is important that the president be allowed to continue after 2019.
“Buhari is the head of government; he is almost done with the first tenure in office or fisrt half as it is done in football. He has played 45 minutes, it remains 45 minutes, we should allow him to finish the game”.
Kalu, who appeared not considering the pains Nigerians are going through and which had given rise to the clamour for a change in government, said, “We appeal to Nigerians to allow him finish his second term; it makes more sense”.
The former governor said that he had also been soliciting for the support of other prominent Nigerians at home and abroad, ‘even foreigners’ for the realisation of the second term Presidential ambition of President Buhari.
He however declared that his campaign for the re-election of President Buhari had nothing to do with the South-East Nigeria getting the Presidency in 2023 or for his personal ambition of becoming the next President after 2023.
Kalu, formerly of the PDP, pointed out that the year, 2023, was still a long way and time would tell if he would vie for Presidency or not.
Meanwhile, Kalu has described the crises within the ruling APC over the nomination of candidates as part of politicking.
According to him, “The crisis is part of political development. If there is no crisis there will not be political development. Crisis is what makes political development. There must be crisis and there must be solution”.
