By Ikenna Uwadileke
A United States based real estate entrepreneur, Mr John Juruobi, has appealed to traditional rulers in Abia North to adopt the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu as the consensus senatorial candidate of the zone and return him unopposed.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Orji Kalu media group, Juruobi made the appeal in Washington DC during a meeting of Abia stakeholders in United States.
He commended Kalu for replicating his performance as governor of Abia from 1999 to 2007 in the Ninth Senate.
Juruobi who hails from Isuikwato in Abia North, believed that Kalu’s performance as the senator representing Abia North senatorial district is the best in the history of Abia.
He appealed to the people of Abia North to continue to support the chief whip of the senate, noting that Kalu was ready to do more for the district.
“We need to encourage and support his aspiration in 2023. What he has done as a senator is unprecedented. The building of roads, schools and distribution of educational materials is the first of its kind in Abia North senatorial district.
“My community Umuobiala is a big beneficiary of Kalu’s active performance and we are grateful for his leadership.
“Even though I am not surprised because he performed very well as governor. He took education very serious and teachers and students benefited a lot.
“He built infrastructure and made Enyimba Football Club proud. He was an action governor and today he is an action senator. He is replicating what he did as governor.
“His bills, motions and infrastructural development is the best I have seen from a senator.
“We should not joke with our best at this critical time. We need more development in Abia North.
“Therefore, I am appealing to all to continue to trust Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu even beyond 2023 for more development.
“The traditional rulers should adopt him as the only candidate and make sure he returns unopposed.” Juruobi said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Kalu recently said that Nigerians in the diaspora would soon be able to vote from their countries of residence.
According to Kalu, the next National Assembly would fashion a way to actualise diaspora voting to accommodate millions of Nigerians living outside the country.
“As a Nigerian, irrespective of where you stay or live, you should have a say in deciding who leads who.
“Therefore, in the nearest future, it should be possible for Nigerians in the diaspora to participate in our national elections.
“In 1992 as a member of House of Representatives, I introduced the dual citizenship bill.
“By God’s grace in the 10th Senate, we will introduce a bill that will allow Nigerians in diaspora to vote their choice candidate.
“We cannot ignore the millions of Nigerians across the globe making significant impact on the country’s economy and our overall development as a nation,’’ he said.
