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Orji Kalu, chief whip of the senate, has asked the Igbo to make amends and work with President Muhammadu Buhari to attract more developmental projects to the south-east.
Kalu, in an interview with NAN, said supporting Buhari will attract more federal projects to the region.
The lawmaker said his zone will give Buhari more votes if given another opportunity.
According to him, it is on the record that Abia north senatorial district is the only zone in the south-east and south-south that gave Buhari 68 percent votes in 2019 elections.
“The relationship with Abia north as a constituency is very cordial and the president has shown a lot of love to us and has remembered us with what we voted for, so we are excited,” he said.
“Abia north is the senatorial district that gave the president the highest votes both in the south-south and south-east, we are number one and nobody is challenging us.
“So, when people say we don’t like Buhari we are not part of it; we have always been in good times with him. We gave him doctorate degree in our university in 2003 (Abia State University) and we gave him chieftaincy title in Igbere (Orji Kalu’s home town} in 2004.
“We are excited to have other people in our area, so Nigerian politicians should remove hatred.
“I encourage the Igbos to work with President Buhari to find a way to make amends and remove sentiments and work with the president so that in the remaining two years he can do more things for us before he leaves office.
Kalu also said northern groups are drumming support for him to vie for the presidential seat because they found him worthy to deliver good governance to the nation.
Kalu said credibility, honesty and the capacity to deliver endeared him to many northerners.
“What is responsible for that, is that I have known most of the presidents from the north for a long time, and I have had deep relationships, and am not sure I have disappointed in any of these relations,” he said.
“And I have also known many northerners, and I have had so many businesses with them, I had to do politics with them and in terms of business, I am not sure I have disappointed anybody in terms of buying and selling.
“They find me worthy because they know whatever I say, I will do, and whatever I say I will not do, I will not do it.
“The northerners find out that I am sincere to them, and they are sincere to me.
“So, for people who gave me opportunity to be their brother at no cost when I was nothing, and when I am somebody, is it good to leave them? The answer is no.
“I cannot leave them because I started with them, and I think staying with them is better than abandoning them, when I feel I am better.”
