The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and Senator representing Abia North, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has rejected the call by the Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF) to contest the 2027 presidential election with either Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal or Adamawa State Governor Umar Fintiri as his running mate.
The prominent coalition, comprising 40 groups, made the appeal yesterday after a courtesy visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The President of NYLF, Comrade Eliot Afiyo, who named Obasanjo as the group’s patron, listed the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu as their preferred presidential candidates, while suggesting the governors of Adamawa and Zamfara states as potential running mates.
However, in a statement issued from his media office on Thursday and signed by George Maduka, Kalu distanced himself from any presidential bid, reaffirming his commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election and cautioning against distractions from opposition elements.
Kalu emphasized that there is no division within the All Progressives Congress (APC) regarding its 2027 presidential candidate, stressing that President Tinubu needs support for his ongoing economic reforms.
He urged opposition figures to focus on their political ambitions rather than attempting to involve him in their agenda.
The statement partly reads:
“Nigerian politics operates within the framework of a federal and presidential republic, allowing citizens the right to vote and be voted for. Senator Kalu has the right to decide what position he should be considered for, and the presidency in 2027 is certainly out of it. He has publicly endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election and remains committed to the necessary work ahead.”
“Kalu is a firm believer in Tinubu’s economic reforms. He understands that sustaining these reforms requires long-term stability, inclusivity, and adaptability, which is why the President must be given the full eight years to implement them.”
“The former Governor holds deep respect for President Tinubu, and their friendship dates back decades, long before they became governors in 1999. Kalu is known for standing by his convictions, and he has made his stance clear—he supports Tinubu and will continue to back his bold, progressive economic policies.”
“Kalu believes Nigeria’s economic prosperity is tied to the success of these reforms. Since independence, no Nigerian leader has shown the courage to undertake such comprehensive economic restructuring. Now that President Tinubu has taken the bold step, Kalu urges Nigerians to support his efforts and re-elect him in 2027 to complete the transformation he has begun.”
