KALU'S SENATORIAL AMBITION, THE PEOPLE'S WISH - PPA CHIEFTAIN

•Kalu
The entry of the former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu into the Abia North Senatorial race on the platform of the Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA) has been described as not only the people's wish but also that which would ensure equity and stabilise the polity in the senatorial zone.

Speaking on Kalu's senatorial ambition, the PPA candidate for Bende Federal Constituency in the April polls, Chief Ben Kalu said the former governor's entry into the race came at the right time, when going by the zoning formula adopted by the area, it was the turn of Bende Local Government to produce the next senator.

He said never in the history of Abia North had a person been allowed to go for a second term not to think of a third tenure as the present representative of the area in the Senate was now pushing for, stressing that if the people allowed that to happen, the political equation of the zone would have been destroyed.

The House of Representatives candidate said even in America, zoning works, which was why it was not possible to pick the president, his vice and the secretary of state from the same area, maintaining that in Abia North, 'zoning has been adopted for donkey years which has ensured stability in the zone. 'It (zoning) is fundamental principle of political science that has been adopted by Abia North from time past, which has ensured better political distribution as well as development among the people.'

Chronicling how zoning had been applied in different elections in the area, Kalu said, 'Senator Simeon Ojukwu from Item in Bende Local Government was the first to represent Abia North in the Senate. He was followed by Sen. Onyekachi Okoroafor from Abiriba in Ohafia Local Government. Then, Senators Emma Nwaka and Ike Nwachukwu from Isuikwuato and presently Sen. Uche Chukwumerije from Umunneochi Local Government who has been there for eight years, the only person that has represented the zone for two terms.'

Kalu said from all indications, it was the turn of Bende Local Government to produce someone that would represent the district at the Senate, a position which he said the former governor was better placed to occupy having served his people creditably when he was governor of the state. He said people of the senatorial zone had no difficulty in identifying with Kalu's ambition since when he was the governor of the state, he did much for the people of the area.

In the same vein, Kalu opined that going by the zoning arrangement in Bende, it was the turn of the South to produce who would represent the local government at the House of Representatives. He said it was in the spirit of the zoning that made him to wait for eight years before eventually clinching the ticket this time around.

To buttress his point that it was the turn of Bende South, Kalu said, 'Ogwe K. Ogwe from Bende North kick-started it, followed by Orji Uzor Kalu also from the North. After him, two other persons from the North, including the present occupier of the post, have tested the seat while the South could only boast of representing the area just once.'