UMUAHIA — The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a detribalised Nigerian leader who does not see tribe, tongue or colour of skin, but relates with everyone as a Nigerian.
Kalu spoke on Thursday in Umuahia during the inauguration of the Abia State All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the re-election of President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Addressing party leaders and stakeholders at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, Kalu said he does not preach about Tinubu just because he is President, but because he is a core disciple of his political philosophy.
”I preach about him not just because he’s the President. I advocate for him because I’m a core disciple of his political philosophy, that believes in building legacies, that will uplift a leader, that believes in a non-tribal way of administering a nation,” Kalu said.
”That is what I believe in. And that is why I follow him.”
He described Tinubu as a man who knows no colour of skin, knows no tongue, knows no tribe that you come from, but sees you as a Nigerian, relates with you as a Nigerian, equips you as a Nigerian, and positions you as a Nigerian.
”That is the man we should give our votes to,” he said.
Kalu said one of the first achievements of the President was the change of the national anthem, to remind Nigerians that though they have diversity, there is brotherhood that holds them together.
”That is a man that came and changed the national anthem. And now we can say, in brotherhood we stand,” he said.
He recalled the difficult road to the presidency, describing Tinubu as a great warrior who was asleep holding the broom, while everything was against him.
”A man was sleeping holding the broom. You couldn’t take the broom away from his hand. And he became President,” Kalu said.
”Now that he is awake, you think you can take it from him? Let me ask you again. A great warrior was asleep holding the broom. And his name was Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
”While asleep when everything was against him. They changed the currency against him. They did all the funny things against him. He was holding his broom tightly. And now he is awake with his eyes wide open. With all the structures in support of what he is doing.”
He warned those who think they can take power from Tinubu because of ethnic sentiment that they would be deceived.
”And you say because he is an Igbo man you can take the broom from him. We will not be deceived. We will not be deceived,” he said.
”We will preach the right message to our people. And our people will join us to support the President.”
Kalu said his relationship with the President goes beyond politics, describing it as that of a father and son.
”That man calls me son. And I call him father,” he said.
He urged Ndigbo to arise and support a leader who has shown love to the South East, not through words, but through actions.
“He Calls Me Son, I Call Him Father”: Kalu Describes Tinubu As Detribalised Leader
