Amidst the internal lobbying for the next leadership of the upper and lower chambers of the 10^th National Assembly, Senator Orji Kalu, on Tuesday, informed the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), of his intention to run for Senate presidency.

Kalu disclosed this to State House correspondents shortly after meeting with Buhari in his office at the Aso Rock Villa

He said he was open to vying for the Senate Presidency if the All Progressives Congress would zone the office to the South-East.

Kalu who is the current Senate Chief Whip representing Abia North District, argued that zoning the office to the South-East would ensure the stability of the incoming administration.

According to him, although the APC did not garner considerable votes from the region, zoning the Senate presidency to the region would bring peace to the country.

The lawmaker argued that the South-East contributed much more to Nigeria than just votes for APC.

Kalu added that he presented his Certificate of return to the president while appreciating him for his support towards the people of Abia North.

He said, “I was received this afternoon by President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) in the State House. It was an honour to present my certificate of return to Mr President and to thank him for the attention he gave Abia North Senatorial District in the last three years.

“I also intimated Mr President of my intention to run for the office of the Senate President in the 10^th National Assembly.”

Kalu had last week Tuesday told the All Progressive Congress and the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to zone the Senate presidency to his village in Igbere in Abia North Senatorial District, Abia State to prevent any other lawmaker from contesting against him.

Exactly a week ago, Kalu openly declared his intention to contest for Senate presidency in the 10^th National Assembly, if the party zones the position to South-East.

He said, “If they want to zone, they should zone it to my village so nobody would contest it against me. I don’t even want them to zone it to the South.

“The party should zone it to Igbere in my ward because I am the only Senator from there. You can manufacture another Senator from another local government from another place Abia. I would like the party to zone it to me, with my name.”

Other Senators who have openly declared their intentions to run for the Senate Presidency are Senator Jibrin Barau (Kano Central); and Sani Musa (Niger East). (The PUNCH)

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