From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
Former Abia State Governor and Chairman of the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC), Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will face no real opposition in the 2027 presidential election, describing the contest as “Tinubu versus Tinubu.”
Speaking to members of the Senate Press Corps at the National Assembly foyer on Tuesday, the Abia North Senator said the All Progressives Congress (APC) remains firmly rooted across the country and enjoys the overwhelming support of Nigerians, insisting that the President’s policies are gradually reshaping the economy and national security.
“Has he gotten anyone contesting against him? The election is Tinubu vs Tinubu just like Soludo vs Soludo. The President has no options,” Kalu said. “Our party is fully on ground and fully with the people. Nobody can say we don’t have the people on ground. We will continue to do what we can to help the Nigerian masses progress.”
Kalu, who also served as Chief Whip of the 9th Senate, said the National Assembly under Senator Godswill Akpabio’s leadership remains committed to supporting Tinubu’s economic recovery plans through pro-people legislation.
“Whatever is the problem, the Senate is more interested in making laws that will help President Ahmed Tinubu overcome the economic problems that our people are going through. We are focusing on redeeming Nigerian people to see that they eat three times a day,” he said.
Kalu on U.S., Trump, and Killings in Nigeria: “Trump Told the Truth”
Reacting to comments credited to former U.S. President Donald Trump on the spate of killings in Nigeria and America’s readiness to act, Kalu said Trump “told the truth,” stressing that the attacks across the country have claimed both Christian and Muslim lives and should be condemned without bias.
“If it’s a lie, then the answer is that it’s not a lie because he said the truth. Nigerians are being killed whether they are Christians or Muslims.
There are jihadists who just want to destroy Nigeria. We should blacklist them without pity so that they will be smoked out,” he stated.
Kalu revealed that he had personally discussed Nigeria’s security situation with two former U.S. Presidents one Republican and one Democrat and six sitting U.S. Senators, who, according to him, expressed readiness to assist Nigeria in tackling terrorism.
“Before President Trump says a word, the American intelligence community must have found out where these terrorists are located,” he said. “You can see that the Nigerian Air Force is already acting, possibly using information shared by the U.S. to bomb terrorist hideouts. That’s how it should be.”
While aligning himself as “pro-America,” Kalu also noted that part of the global instability today stemmed from the U.S. invasion and elimination of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi and Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, which, he argued, led to the proliferation of arms across Africa.
“When you killed Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein, it became a problem because those people were maintaining their borders. After their deaths, light and heavy arms spilled all over the world and we are suffering from it today,” Kalu explained.
He stressed that contrary to speculation, the U.S. was not targeting President Tinubu’s administration, but rather the jihadist elements responsible for insecurity in Nigeria.
“Nigerians are clapping hands and political opponents are thinking that the U.S. is after Tinubu’s government No! They are going after the jihadists,” Kalu clarified.
On Party Politics and Defections
Commenting on speculation that Abia State Governor Alex Otti may defect from the Labour Party to the APC, Kalu said neither President Tinubu nor any APC leader had pressured anyone to join the ruling party.
“Let’s be honest, neither me nor other senators, Senate President or President Tinubu have ever forced anybody to join our party. I have met with my Governor; he is my brother and used to be my banker. Whether he joins or not is up to him,” Kalu said.
“But as for me, I will work 100% for the APC, campaign in the state and ensure that we secure victory for President Tinubu and every candidate of the APC.”
On the likelihood of Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo joining the APC after his re-election, Kalu expressed confidence that the APGA governor would “eventually come home.”
“Soludo is a progressive like myself, President Tinubu, Senate President Akpabio, and the Governors of Imo, Ebonyi, and Enugu. He has no alternative than to come and join us it’s confirmed,” he asserted.
On the Economy: “Macro Economy Doing Well, But Micro Still Struggling”
Assessing the current state of the Nigerian economy, the senator acknowledged the hardship many citizens face but maintained that macroeconomic indicators are improving.
“As a businessman, I am feeling the pain too. The macro economy is doing well, but the micro economy is not. Foreign investors are coming in, and what is left is for this progress to trickle down to the masses so that people can eat daily and return to farming,” he explained.
Kalu said both the President and the Senate are working relentlessly to revive the economy and restore food security.
“President Tinubu has put his life into revamping the economy, and the Senate is also doing its best to ensure that Nigerians feel the progress.”
On Senate Stability
Addressing reports of initial moves to impeach the Senate President, Senator Kalu dismissed the tension as a “family misunderstanding,” insisting that lawmakers remain united in supporting the leadership and the national agenda.
“There were attempts, but we didn’t allow that to happen. We are one big family, and it’s not going to happen,” he assured.
Senator Kalu’s remarks underscored his unwavering loyalty to President Tinubu and the APC, his pro-American stance on counterterrorism, and his optimism that Nigeria’s economic and security challenges are surmountable through collaboration between the executive, legislature, and international partners.
