The Deputy Speakership candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 10th House, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has called on his colleagues, particularly aspirants for the speakership seat to place the supremacy of the party above any other political interest.
Kalu stated this on Monday, while addressing representatives of coalition of Abia stakeholders under the aegis of Advocacy for Good Governance Initiative, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Campaign Secretariat of the Joint Task – 10th Assembly Coalition in Abuja.
The lawmaker, who currently chairs the 9th House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs also called on members-elect from the South East zone to rally support for the Abbas/Kalu joint ticket, saying it was anchored on the diversity and multiplicity of interest in Nigeria.
He noted that having provided the political vehicle that conveyed all winners of electoral offices to their desired destinations, the party’s position should be respected by all as a mark of honour and loyalty to the party.
“I’m a man, who believes that the party’s supremacy should not be jettisoned for our political interest. The party provided the vehicle for us to get to where we are, and their decision should be binding on us. That’s the only way we are going to make our party stronger, that’s the only way we are going to make people respect our party, because our victories came through them,” he said.
Kalu also assured his visitors that if given the mandate to preside, the House under Hon. Abbas and himself would sustain the current tripartite approach to governance adopted by the outgoing administration, adding that the party’s decision to choose him and Abbas was based on the need for competence and maturity in understanding the objectives of the coming administration.
“So, the tripartite arrangements established by this current government is going to be sustained by the incoming administration, where the party will sit with the Executive and the Legislature to come up with policy directions that will help our nation grow. And the House through the partnership and the support I will give to my principal, who is the Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas by God’s grace, that we will be able to buy into the national objective.
“It’s not wearing boxing gloves to fight the government. We should understand that this government is our government. Three arms of government with one national objective. So, this is what we need if we are going to take the nation from where it is to the next level.”
Udora Orizu
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