Renowned
economist and former minister of finance, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, has hailed
former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, on his decision to join the All
Progressives Congress (APC), along with his friends and associates.
Idika Kalu
said his support should not come as a surprise to all those who are aware of
his position from the formative phase of the alliances that culminated in the
emergence of the APC.
A statement
signed by the former minister said the
move by Uzor Kalu was in strategic synch with broader Igbo long term objectives
to reject Igbo irrelevance that many were assigning to Ndigbo in spite of the
zone’s continued dominance in other
national demographics.
He said Kalu
should be applauded and emulated.
He urged other
politicians to take a cue from Uzor Kalu, “and
at the minimum, seek a merger to belong to the future of power sharing
in viable political parties that are truly alternative power blocs in Nigeria.”
According to
the former minister: “It is my opinion that Orji Uzor Kalu’s joining of APC is
based on the strategic political interest of Ndigbo, an indisputable part of
the tripod that holds together Nigeria’s political firmament.
“Let’s
organise for our numbers and implicit strength to count maximally. Let’s play
smart politics and reserve emotions for our essentially non-political
conclaves.
“For long, we
have side-stepped this rightful position by ending up, inadvertently, adopting
a minority posture in Nigerian politics to the dismay of our people and many of
our neighbours and other Nigerians who remember the great legacy of our past
heroes in the struggle for Nigerian and African independence.
“When APGA was
established, we the foundation members set out, dissatisfied with the way the
new PDP was evolving, to create an alternative national party. These moves are
without prejudice to the continuous struggle to have a more perfect federal
union. As long as we are still part and parcel of this imperfect union, Ndigbo
cannot continue to perch in a corner to ask for this or that . We must come
squarely back to the high table where the major decisions are taken.
“Igbo is too
big, too critically strategic to play in the sidelines. We must re-enter the
main bowl of political contestation from viable national parties. We should
play a positive role to evolve a strong two alternative party framework that
helps to promote a healthy and even playing field that suits Igbo temperament
and predilections from our history. Let’s play smart politics for a change.”
“In the
meantime, the Alaigbo Development Foundation, along with other Igbo development
subgroups was supposed to rebuild Igbo economy, traditions and culture of
responsible community governance to support the renewed engagement in national
politics. It is the Igbo who are most fitted to undertake this task. Just think
about it. So, we should get the Orji Uzor’s and others with their polyglot and
long reach to get on with the job, knowing that it is in the long term strategic interests of Ndigbo.”
0 Comments