Orji Kalu: I’ll win any supplementary election

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The Senate’s Chief Whip, Orji Kalu, says he will win the supplementary election in his senatorial district “even if it is conducted 20 times”. He said this on Thursday in Abuja when he received the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who paid him a courtesy visit.

Mr Kalu, a former governor of the state, now represents Abia North Senatorial District.

He had contested in the February elections under the platform of the APC. He was declared winner over the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mao Ohabunwa. Mr Ohabunwa had approached the tribunal to nullify the election of Mr Kalu citing exclusion of some votes during the collation of results and disenfranchisement of many registered voters in the constituency.

The tribunal on Monday nullified the election and ordered a supplementary election in the affected areas within 90 days.

‘I’m not losing sleep’

In his reaction, Mr Kalu said Abia North is not losing sleep.

“We can do that election 20 times, Buhari our president, the senatorial district, my seat is intact. We will always win it. It is a fundamental error that they might to call for supplementary election in some polling units,” Mr Kalu said.

Earlier, Donatus Nwakpa, who led the delegation, described the ruling as biased and sentimental. He said there must be supremacy of the law and the rule of law must take its course.

“For that, we are going to appeal on that ruling because the ruling in all purposes and dynamics of law is a failure and will not stand the litmus test of an appellate court.

“On the contrary to some insinuations, the election of Orji Uzor-Kalu was not nullified, his seat was not declared vacant because the panel did not ask for the withdrawal of his certificate. For that, we know he is still the representative of Abia North senatorial district and also the highest elected political office holder from APC South East as the Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate.

“We have confidence in him and in our people. The next election we know if they do it tonight, we know there won’t be election because we have seen the weaknesses. The attempt on you is not on you but it is on APC in Abia state and South East,” he said.

Also present at the meeting was the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uchechukwu Ogar.

Mr Ogar said the judgement will be upturned at the appeal court and asked people of Abia North not to worry because the seat is not vacant.

He also congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on the ruling of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in his favour.