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I�m not
fronting for Atiku, IBB, says Kalu
�
Holds meeting with Abubakar
By
Uche Nwosu
Special
Correspondent, Umuahia
Former
Head of State Abdulsalam Abubakar visited Umuahia on Monday apparently to
boost Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu�s preparation for the next
Presidency in less than three year�s time.
And,
with such a fillip, a confident Kalu quashed speculations that he is
working for the political ambition of either Vice President Atiku Abubakar
or former military President Ibrahim Babangida. Rather, he said he would
contest against both men vote for vote, money for
money.
He
spoke at a Christmas dinner organised in his honour by the Catholic Bishop
of Umuahia Diocese, Rev Lucius Ugorji, where he said he will defeat both
Atiku and Babangida if they contest at the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP).
Ugorji
described the event as one held yearly by the church to contribute its
quota to the development of
democracy.
�I
want to assure you that I�ll defeat Atiku, Babangida and Marwa at that
Eagle Square. Because, I�ll match them with everything they�ll bring to
the Eagle Square, even on their terms. We�ll all see it. They might have
money, but I�ll match them with money because �am also coming with divine
favour, which is the greatest you can get. They haven�t got divine favour.
I have divine favour�, Kalu enthused.
He
reiterated that he is not afraid of any political juggernaut, adding:
�Somebody told me President Obasanjo is running for the third time and I
said I have no problem with that. Let him go ahead.
�I�ll
meet him also in Eagle Square. If he wins, good, if I win, we�ll shake
hands, and I�m sure we�ll shake hands in my favour. I know that because
this is the truth.
�I
declared for the 2007 Presidential race to liberate my people, the Igbo,
from oppression and marginalisation�.
On
the importance of an Igbo becoming the President in 2007, he said: �We must go back to where
we belong. People have taken us for a ride for too long. Ours is a proud
tribe, and we need to have a good relationship with other tribes in the
country to achieve our aim. We are the salt, jewel of our nation. We have
to get the leadership power, for the nation to prosper, and we to
develop�.
As
if to bolster the chances of
the governor, Abubakar went to Umuahia to confer with him on
Monday. Both men drove off from Government House for some official
function.
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