Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, former governor of Abia State, has boldly dismissed suggestions that Labour Party’s Peter Obi holds the mantle of political leadership in the South-East, insisting that he remains the region’s most significant political figure.
Appearing on Channels Television’s flagship programme, Politics Today, on Wednesday, Kalu, who represents Abia North Senatorial District under the All Progressives Congress (APC), made it clear he had no interest in discussing Obi, whom he described as politically irrelevant to his career or influence.
“Let me be honest with you, I’m a member of the APC and I don’t want to discuss Peter Obi. I’ve told you before,” Kalu stated firmly.
“You can ask me about the leader of my party — I will answer you, whether the question is right or wrong. But I won’t discuss Peter Obi for any reason.”
The outspoken senator, however, hinted that he wouldn’t shy away from a public debate if Obi was present.
“Any day you want me to discuss Peter Obi, give us two hours, put him there and put me here — we’ll sort it out,” he challenged.
When asked about Obi’s perceived status as the political leader of the South-East, Kalu outrightly rejected the notion.
“He (Obi) is not my leader; I am the most important politician from that zone,” he boasted.
Backing his claim, Kalu cited his political journey, recalling his presidential bid under the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in 2007, where he claimed to have garnered 4.9 million votes.
“I have won two states before under PPA. I ran for president before; my 4.9 million votes in 2007 are still there. We achieved a lot with PPA — we had ministers, ambassadors, and other appointments under President Yar’Adua.”
The former Abia governor maintained that his extensive political experience and record of accomplishments positioned him above Obi and other contenders in the South-East political hierarchy.
