Why Ndigbo should join APC

Umuahia – The former governor of Abia, Chief Orji Kalu, has said that it was more beneficial for the South east to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), in order to belong and exploit the benefits of being in mainstream national politics. Kalu made the call on Friday night during an interaction with journalists at his Camp Neya country home at Igbere in Bende Local Government Area of the state.

He said that the region would contribute more towards the good of the people of the region when they stop being in the opposition camp and instead stand with the decision makers in the ruling party.

“Ndigbo should join APC so as to enable them to sit where other Nigerians are seated to decide on how to move the nation forward,” he said. He said that the victories recorded by APC in the Edo and Ondo general elections proved that the APC had become acceptable to Nigerians.

“The APC electoral victories in Edo and Ondo clearly showed the popularity of the party. “So, I did not make mistake in taking the Igbos into the national politics, where other Nigerians are seated. That is where I want the Igbos to sit. “So there is nothing wrong in our joining APC for us to be able to sit where other Nigerians are seated.

That is more important to me,” the former governor said. He said that it was imperative for other prominent Igbo politicians to swell the number of people from the south east region in APC, including the Minister of Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige, and Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo, amongst others. Kalu commended President Muhammadu Buhari for fulfilling his promise to resume work on federal roads in the South east.

He said, “During my visit to the president, he made a promise to me and other leaders three months ago that all the contractors would be back to the federal roads before the end of Nov. “Today, if you go to every federal road in Eastern Nigeria, you will see that all the contractors are back fully and this is why I joined APC. “I didn’t join the party on selfish basis; I joined because the president made a promise and I have seen that the contractors are back to site.

“And if they are back, why can’t I believe him? He will do more,” Kalu said. He further said that his interest was for the South east to have good roads, security and opportunities to trade and achieve prosperity. The former governor, who is a renowned businessman, further spoke on the current economic recession in the country.

According to him, “All the nation’s of the world are going through recession, Nigeria is not an exception. “I’m an international businessman, I am crying in all the countries I am doing business. “From one country to the other, the story is the same, so we are crying there as we are crying in Nigeria.” Kalu urged the president to pay attention to the economy as he had done to security. (NAN)