In 1993, Orji Uzor Kalu won a seat into the National Assembly as a member of House of Representatives. He did not need to wait for the TOO-YOUNG-TO-RUN BILL to be passed. Orji Uzor Kalu was a trader of no mean standards. Before the age of 30, Orji Uzor Kalu was already a millionaire. He understands the business skills and what it takes to be a formidable business mogul at that young age. He horned his leadership skills at a very young age.
Orji Uzor Kalu believes in the handshake across the Niger and partnership towards the desert (the North). Orji very well believes in a national discourse; bringing everybody, irrespective of tribe, religion, ethnicity, creed, or status to the table for national harmony. Orji Uzor Kalu has that sagacity to work into any leaders’ house, no matter the status or position, and his voice will not only be heard, but taken into firm consideration. OUK is a bridge builder.
In 1998, at the beginning of this democratic dispensation, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu played quite a significant role in giving this democratic era some teeth. He not only deployed his huge resources, he played significant roles in the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
No wonder he easily won the governorship of Abia State. Orji Uzor Kalu believes in building people. As he ran for governor of Abia State, he also deployed his resources in sponsoring the president, governors, senators, House of Representatives members, House of Assembly members, etc.
Orji Uzor Kalu brought in many Local Government chairmen, commissioners, special advisers, councillors, etc into political leadership. OUK is a political leader who has mentored many people, raised many other leaders, and is still pioneering national discourse that is bringing many different people to the table of brotherhood.
In 2007, Orji Uzor Kalu contested for president under his newly formed party, then PPA. Though he did not make it, the party produced a governor in Abia, and subsequently, another one in Imo State.
Today, out of the three tripods we have in Nigeria, the Southwest has produced the president, the North the vice president, and it will be natural that the other tripod, Southeast will produce the number three man, the President of the Senate. In 2015, Orji Uzor Kalu made his debut in the Senate. He easily won again in 2019 and was elected the Chief Whip of Senate. Today, there is no Senator more experienced like Orji Uzor Kalu from the Southeast to be considered for that position. In fact, the Senate President should be “zoned to him” to balance the equation of leadership in Nigeria.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu represents the good people of Abia North Senatorial District, and he has done very well as a Senator. He was one of the first senators from the Southeast elected under the platform of APC. So he stands in a very good stead to be elected by his colleagues in the Senate as the Senate President. The APC has the majority of members in the Senate. Therefore, it is pertinent for the colleagues of Orji Uzor Kalu in the Senate to look towards him for this position. He will no doubt aquit himself as in other positions he has held in the past.
This is Orji Uzor Kalu O’clock as Senate President; let’s not make a mistake about it. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu will bring to the table his bridge building skills and experience, as well as his political leadership credentials as a builder of men and women to play to make our country better; being the head of the third arm of government; the National Assembly.
• Okey Ken Anozie is Publisher of Pifmedia