President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, has described Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, as a man passionate about unity of Nigeria.
Addressing northern governors, first-class emirs, and legislators at Kebbi State Government House at a reception hosted by the Governor Atiku Bagudu, Lawan said although Kalu hails from southern parts of the country, he loves northerners, southerners and all Nigerians and will not disappoint on Nigeria’s unity
The Senate President, who alongside Kalu were turbaned as Ganuwan Kabi and Kibiyan Kabi of Argungu respectively by the Emir of Argungu Emirates, Alhaji Mohammed Mera, said: “Your excellency, we also have senators here that were mentioned earlier and these are distinguished people from every part of the country. We have the Chief Whip of the Senate (Senator Orji Uzor Kalu )who is the Kibiyan Kabi.
“The Kibiyan Kabi is a South Eastern man, who is more of a northern person. But I don’t know if that’s a good thing to say, but the truth is this- he is a very true Nigerian, very solid.
“I once served with him as a student at the University of Maiduguri and we shared same room. So I have known him since 1980 or so and this is a person that will never disappoint when it comes to Nigeria’s unity, even to his personal risk to preach the unity of Nigeria and that is one thing we have to do.
“We are leaders in our own rights. We have to continue to pray for peace; we have to continue to pray for understanding; we need to continue to bring Nigerians closer to each other. Ordinarily, most Nigerians are the people that love Nigeria.”
Harping on the role of leaders in promoting unity, Lawan said “politicians sometimes say things that will cause trouble, but the duty of leaders is to be uniting agents.
“We should continue to preach unity of this country and I believe that this is something that every average Nigerian wants from us leaders. In the Senate, we believe in one Nigeria; we believe Nigeria should be our focus. Right from the beginning when the 9th assembly was inaugurated, we believe we should work for our country; we should work for our people. We should look at Nigeria as the only constituency that we have.”
Lawam said “APC is dominant even at the beginning of the 9th Senate; today it became more dominant because we have received so many senators from the other parties. We are expecting more senators to cross over because of what this administration has been able to do and will continue to do. Of course your Excellency (Governor Atiku Bagudu), you know that because you have been one of the strong pillars support of Mr President.”