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Why Am in Race for Presidency –Kalu
By Ndubuisi Francis, 11.29.2004
Abia State Governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu has stated that his decision to run for the 2007 Presidency was borne out of the need to restructure the country and erase the despondency that has enveloped the land. Kalu who was fielding questions from newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos weekend said the decision to reverse his earlier stand was informed by a resolve to restore Nigeria back to Nigerians. "Well, the change of heart was purely because of my belief in restructuring this country, my belief in reforming, giving back Nigeria to Nigerians because as far as am concerned, Nigerians have lost hope in the country. "I want to refocus Nigeria and do what I know best how to do; manage money. I have managed money privately and publicly and I think I can do it. I've done it for myself, I've done it for my state and I think I can do it for Nigeria," he said. On whether he might end up a consensus candidate from his geo-political zone, Kalu said the concept itself is undemocratic. He added that when former President Shehu Shagari contested for the office, there were about 25 candidates in the race from the north. According to him, the number was whittled down to five with some names like Dr. Olusola Saraki, Malam Adamu Ciroma, Alhaji Maitama Sule and others featuring in the race. He added that a mini convention was thereafter organised which produced Shagari as the flagbearer. Kalu who also reacted to the possibility of his becoming a running mate to another aspirant in the course of time said he was not in the race to bargain for the office of vice president. The governor noted that this was completely at variance with Igbo position and that the Igbo nation has nothing at all to do with vice presidency. "No. Igbos are not looking for vice president at all. We've nothing at all to do with that position, I'm telling you the truth. Listen, we have a situation where one ruled for 35 years and another for twelve and half years and because we are defeated in a war, why don't you give us an opportunity to contribute", he argued. On the raging controversy over the propriety or otherwise of Nigerian creditors cancelling its debts, Kalu said the issue of cancellation did not arise at all. His belief, he pointed out, was that a borrower should pay back whatever he borrowed and that he was in support of the stand of his Lagos State counterpart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on the matter. "What I believe is that if you borrow, you should pay. I totally agree with Governor Tinubu because Nigeria should learn to borrow and maintain payment. It's a very rich country...We continue saying that international financiers should forgive our debts. It sounds as if we are jokers", he stated. He noted that what the argument should dwell on is debt rescheduling and not outright cancellation. "Payment must be a must. We must find a way of paying those debts," he said. On doubts being expressed in some quarters on the debts, Kalu who said debts have become an international problem stated that the difference was that while Nigeria borrowed and the money ended up in private accounts, Argentina and Brazil borrowed and channelled the funds into telecommunications services. He called on the Federal Government to discontinue the heavy deductions made from the monthly Federal allocations to Abia because the development is taking a heavy toll on the state. According to him, the people of the state have been groaning under the effect of the deductions, since as much as N400 million is deducted from the state's allocation monthly.
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