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Chief Whip of the Senate, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday, pledged to work towards the success of the All Progressive’s Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, in the 2023 elections.

The former Abia State governor told newsmen in Abuja that he would make for Tinubu the same level of efforts he devoted to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, before and during the party’s primary election.

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The former governor of Lagos State emerged winner at the special presidential convention of the APC held at the Eagles Square in Abuja, beating 22 other presidential aspirants. Prior to Tinubu’s emergence, Kalu led a sturdy campaign for Lawan to emerge as the party’s flag bearer via consensus.

Kalu said he was satisfied that the party held the primary poll.

“I am very satisfied with the primary. Without that kind of primary, there could have been a lot of factions. Although my group was prepared for consensus, not a primary election, when it came suddenly, we had to abide by it . So, I’m very happy that at the end APC won. We won and won resoundingly.

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“The next is to work for the APC and to work for the APC candidate. We have no alternative. I’m a party man which most of you here can testify to. I’m a very strong party man and I don’t shy away from issues. Now, the way I fought for Lawan is the same way I’ll fight for Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.

While applauding President Muhammadu Buhari for not endorsing any presidential candidate, the former governor expressed optimism that South East would vote APC in 2023.

“I’ll always take my stand on any issue, whether I agree or disagree. I’ve accepted that Bola Tinubu won and the whole party agreed there’s no doubt about his victory and when there’s no doubt about his victory, we just have to go to the field to work for our party’s victory.

“I pray that my constituency in the South-East will give us the same belief that they gave to President Buhari in 2019 which gave him 68 per cent of votes. I hope they’ll be able to give APC the same number of votes.

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“I told people that President Buhari would not take sides and that was what happened. He asked everybody to go to the field to try their luck and the message is that it is good for the Nigerian President and the Nigerian leaders not to take sides. It’s good for our democracy and it also goes to the governors to stop taking sides,” Kalu said.

(Sun)