Orji Kalu: I’ll win, even If election is conducted 20 times in Abia north

Orji Uzor Kalu, senate chief whip, says if elections are conducted in Abia north senatorial district 20 times, he will win.

On Monday, the national assembly election petition tribunal in Abia nullified Kalu’s election and ordered a rerun election within 90 days.

The tribunal’s verdict was sequel to a petition filed by Mao Ohuabunwa, candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking when he received a delegation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Abia state in Abuja on Thursday, Kalu said he is not losing sleep over the verdict of the tribunal.

“I have already issued a statement that in Abia north we are not losing sleep. If we do that election 20 times, Buhari, our president, our senatorial district – my seat and the governorship candidate seat is intact, we will always win it. It is a fundamental error that they may have to call for supplementary election in some units,” he said.

“If not that it is a fight for my fundamental human rights, we will call for an election next week, if INEC will agree.

“But because the constitution gives us the right to appeal, we have already contacted our lawyers and the lawyers are already preparing our appeal to go to the appellate court.”

Speaking at the event, Uchechukwu Ogah, minister of mines and steel development, said they are confident that Kalu would retain his seat at the upper legislative chamber.

“We are all here in solidarity to our leader, to show our concern and to assure him that we all behind him and we know this ruling will not see the light of day in appeal court and we want to assure all our supporters down home that there is no need to worry because his seat is not vacant,” Ogah said.

Also speaking, Donatus Nwakpa, chairman of the APC in Abia, described the judgement sacking Kalu as “biased”.

“We are going to appeal that ruling, that ruling in all dynamics of law is a failure and it must pass the litmus test of an appellate court,” he said.

“APC Abia state has confidence in him, we have confidence in our people and if we are going to have an election this night we will have a captain for that election in the name of Uchechukwu Ogah, the honourable minister for mines and steel development.

“But we know there is not going to be election because we have seen the weaknesses, the flaws, we have seen everything – there is no appeal sitting now, so I’m not engaging in any judicial contempt.”