…Defies Fayose, storms Ekiti for Buhari
Former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu yesterday defied the order of Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose not to come to the state to campaign for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He slammed ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo for his attacks on Buhari by advising him not to seek re-election.
Kalu said Obasanjo lacked the moral standing to stop Buhari from contesting the 2019 presidential poll, describing him (Buhari) as the most selfless leader.
The ex-governor, who urged Nigerians to ignore “frivolous letter writers like Obasanjo”, said Buhari deserved to be re-elected because he was revamping the economy, which had seen the foreign reserves rising from $23 billion to $47 billion.
He said the President had done well in tackling insurgency in the Northeast, considering the successes recorded by the military against Boko Haram terrorists, unlike what happened during the Goodluck Jonathan presidency.
Kalu led a peace advocacy team to Ado-Ekiti in his capacity as the acting chairman of the Advisory Board of the National Movement for the Re-election of President Buhari.
He was received by All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains led by a governorship aspirant and former Speaker, House of Assembly, Mr. Olufemi Bamisile.
Kalu addressed a crowd at Bamisile’s home in GRA, Ado-Ekiti.
Slamming Obasanjo, he said: “Nigerians should tell former President Obasanjo to stop writing frivolous letters.
“Let me tell you emphatically that President Buhari will contest again. Don’t listen to letter writers like Obasanjo. He has been President twice, so he should keep his letter in Otta for himself.
“If anyone will caution President Buhari, it should not be Obasanjo.
If you check your records very well, he remains the most corrupt President ever. He came into office with less than N20,000 and built the multi-billion naira Otta Farm, Library Project and Hilltop Mansion.
“This is why I am in Ekiti to tell our people not to listen to Obasanjo. He met the economy in a comatose. Today, President Buhari has raised foreign reserve from $23 billion to $47 billion, while the menace of Boko Haram has been defeated.
“Some people are out to destabilise his government. We want Nigerians to embrace love, peace and show understanding.”
Kalu had been banned by Fayose from coming to Ekiti to campaign for Buhari.
The governor said in a statement that Kalu was not welcomed in the state.
But the former Abia State governor advised Fayose to stop “manifesting thuggery, which is not expected of somebody holding such an exalted office.”
Addressing a crowd, Kalu said he was surprised that Fayose, who was in Abia State last week, could tell an elder statesman and a law-abiding citizen not to visit Ekiti State.
He recalled that he hosted Fayose in his house for about three months after he was impeached on October 16, 2006 by 24 of 26 members of the House of State Assembly.
Kalu said: “My attention was called from Ondo State on Saturday that Governor Fayose said I should not come to Ekiti. Fayose is my boy; he can’t stop me from coming. He is my boy and he knows he can’t stop me on anything.
“Governor Fayose was in my house for 90 days after he was impeached. He is my friend but he has gone beyond his limit by saying a bona fide elder statesman like me should not come to Ekiti.
“Fayose was in my state, Abia, last week. Nobody said he should not come, so I have declared war on him. Even if I sleep on the floor, I will still defeat Fayose on any issue.”
He enjoined Ekiti delegates to vote wisely, by voting for an aspirant who has the political network and dexterity to defeat Fayose.
“You need to work very hard because President Buhari doesn’t believe
in rigging. I am ready to support whoever you bring as a candidate for the July 14 election, because I am part of you.
“If I am to choose for you, I will choose Bamisile, but this lies on Ekiti delegates. However, as a national leader of APC, I am ready to support whoever you bring up.”
The former governor promised to work hard to ensure APC wins the poll, so that the battle can be easy for the party in next year’s presidential election, “when Buhari will be seeking re-election.”
Ex-governor seeks monarchs’, indigenes’ support for President
Ex-Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu has urged traditional rulers in Yoruba land and their subjects to support President Muhammadu Buhari to get a second term.
Kalu, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), spoke at the weekend at the palace of Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo.
He was visiting the monarch in continuation of his peace and advocacy trip to the Southwest.
Kalu urged Nigerians to support the APC government.
He promised to empower 2,000 Ondo indigenes through the Orji Uzor Kalu Foundation.
The former governor said beneficiaries of the programme would comprise 1,000 male and 1,000 female petty traders.
He praised the support of the traditional institution for the APC government, urging monarchs not to relent in supporting the Federal Government.
According to him, President Buhari has done well to develop the nation, especially his fight against corruption and rehabilitation of federal roads.
He said: “Federal roads across the country are being rehabilitated by the government. Nigeria has a good image at the international community, unlike what happened before the inception of the Buhari administration.”
The APC stalwart advised traditional rulers to pray for the President and his administration.
He enjoined Nigerians to pray for peace and unity.
Kalu said no human being was perfect, stressing that Nigerians should tolerate one another and ensure peace reigned.
Oba Kiladejo described peace as an important factor needed for development.
He hailed Kalu for moving round the country to preach peace and unity.
