Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North Senatorial District, has taken a firm stance on the political ambitions of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu, saying he cannot be both a “holder and beholder.”
Speaking to journalists at his country home on Tuesday, Senator Kalu addressed speculations about Benjamin Kalu’s possible interest in contesting the Abia State governorship seat, urging him to make his intentions clear.
“I have asked my brother to back off. He and Ben Kalu cannot run together. So if Benjamin Kalu wants to run, let him come out and declare he wants to run for governor so we prepare to win the governorship. If he is not running, let him go back and run for his House of Representatives seat. But he cannot be a holder and a beholder; that is where I stand.”
Speaking of why he was absent at the Renewed Hope Partners organised by the Deputy Speaker last weekend, Kalu dismissed any political disagreement with Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, affirming their close relationship. He, however, called for clarity on Benjamin Kalu’s political ambitions.
“I am always with him in Abuja; whenever he has time, he comes to see me. I have no problems with him. “It’s just, let him say what he wants,” he echoed.
On his visit to Governor Alex Otti of Abia State and the revelation from Otti that he is Kalu’s infrastructural template to develop Aba, Kalu said that during his time as governor, his target was to build Aba to use the resources to build other places and that’s what he did.
“There’s nowhere in Africa that people do not know Aba and Enyimba City and that starts with securing the people. I created the Bakassi boys and they worked with the police and DSS to secure the place. This shows the people who said we didn’t do anything in the state. I laid the foundation and worked with a template to build the Aba and Umuahia, adding Ohambele.
“My visit to Gov. Otti is very private. I’m the oldest governor of Abia State. I have the right to go to Governor Alex Otti. My discussion with him is about the state. I’m building 5 factories in Igbere which will take off in the next one year and before long, it will start processing so I need peace and unity in this place.
“I’m APC to the core and I’ve said that I’ll pull the trigger for the party. APC should work hard to deliver the party in the state and Federal and we are committed to that.
“I’m a high-ranking member of the APC. To suspend me from the party, you will have to go to the NEC. So we need to make APC win in other places. Politics is not all about carrying crowds because young men who are in politics to make money are making noise. We don’t do that. I’ve been in business for 40 years and I’ve a track record,” he said
