Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC) and representative of Abia North has dismissed speculations about his interest in the 2027 presidential race, reaffirming his commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
His reaction followed a call by the Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF), a coalition of 40 groups, urging him to contest for the presidency with either Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal or Adamawa State Governor, Umar Fintiri, as his running mate.
The group, led by its president, Comrade Eliot Afiyo, requested Abeokuta, Ogun State, after a courtesy visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whom they named as their patron.
However, in a statement issued on Thursday by his media office and signed by George Maduka, Kalu categorically distanced himself from any presidential bid, emphasising his unwavering support for Tinubu’s administration.
He reaffirmed that there is no internal crisis within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) regarding the 2027 elections, stating that Tinubu remains the party’s choice.
The statement partly reads, “Nigerian politics takes place within a framework of a federal and presidential republic and a representative democracy, in which the citizens have rights to vote and be voted for.
“Senator Kalu has the right to decide on what he should be voted for, and the presidency in 2027 is definitely out of it.
“Kalu is a strong believer in Tinubu’s economic reforms. He knows that to sustain the reforms, there must be a focus on long-term stability, inclusivity, and adaptability, and the President needs a maximum of eight years to achieve it.
“The former governor has the utmost respect for the president, and their friendship spans decades, long before they became governors in 1999.
“Kalu is known for standing firm in what he believes in, and he has taken his stand on Tinubu and will continue to encourage him on his bold progressive economic reforms.”
Kalu urged the opposition to focus on their political strategies instead of involving him in their speculations, stressing that his priority remains supporting the administration’s ongoing reforms.
He maintained that Nigeria’s economic transformation requires consistency and long-term planning, adding that Tinubu’s policies should be given time to yield results.
According to the statement, “Since Tinubu has taken the bull by the horns, Kalu believes that the best Nigerians can do is to also encourage him and re-elect him in 2027 to complete the good job he has started.”
