TheCable

Orji Kalu, former governor of Abia state, says he would only back down on his plans to contest the deputy senate seat if the All Progressives Congress (APC) zone the speaker of the house of representatives from the south-east.

Kalu, senator-elect of Abia-north, said he is canvassing for a representation of the southern region in the leadership of the national assembly.

He had earlier endorsed Femi Gbajagbiamila as speaker of the green chamber and Ahmad Lawan as senate president but speaking on Channels Television on Thursday, Kalu threatened that if the party did not pick him (Kalu) as deputy senate president, he would go ahead to contest the number two seat at the senate.

TheCable had earlier reported that Gbajabiamila and Lawan are the choices of President Muhammadu Buhari for the speaker of house of reps and senate president respectively.

But on the television programme, Kalu gave APC the conditions under which he would let go of his ambition to be the deputy senate president.

“Let me be honest with you even if the party asks me not to run, I will run on the floor of the house, this is one position I have to run for because you cannot leave the south-east alone, you can’t leave them behind,” Kalu said.

“If they give the south-easterners speaker, I’ll drop my ambition; I’ll not run for deputy senate president again. If you give speaker of the house today, because that is more superior to deputy senate president,  although I have endorsed  Femi Gbaja, give us speaker of the house, I’ll drop it.

“I am only asking for a fair and free democratic process for the senate.”