Amid internal lobbying for the leadership of the upper and lower chambers of the 10th National Assembly, Senator Orji Kalu announced his intention to run for Senate President. On Tuesday, he informed President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) of his plans during a meeting at the Aso Rock Villa, and later disclosed the conversation to State House correspondents. Kalu, who currently serves as Senate Chief Whip representing Abia North District, said he would be willing to contest the Senate Presidency if the All Progressives Congress (APC) zones the office to the South‑East. He argued that such zoning would ensure stability for the incoming administration, noting that although the APC did not secure many votes in the region, allocating the Senate Presidency to the South‑East would promote national peace. Kalu emphasized that the South‑East contributes to Nigeria beyond electoral support for the APC.
During the meeting, Kalu presented his Certificate of Return to President Buhari and thanked him for his support of Abia North over the past three years. “I was received this afternoon by President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) in the State House. It was an honour to present my certificate of return to Mr President and to thank him for the attention he gave Abia North Senatorial District in the last three years,” he said. He added that he had also informed the President of his intention to run for Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.
Last week, Kalu urged the APC and President‑elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to zone the Senate Presidency to his village, Igbere, in Abia North Senatorial District, to preclude any other contender. “If they want to zone, they should zone it to my village so nobody would contest it against me. I don’t even want them to zone it to the South. The party should zone it to Igbere in my ward because I am the only Senator from there. You can manufacture another Senator from another local government, but I would like the party to zone it to me, with my name,” he declared.
Other senators who have publicly expressed interest in the Senate Presidency include Senator Jibrin Barau of Kano Central and Senator Sani Musa of Niger East.
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