Senate presidency: Orji Kalu insists he won’t quit race, says he’s in talks with Yari

Orji Uzor Kalu, chief whip of the senate, says he will not step down for anybody in the race for office of the senate president.

Speaking with reporters on Tuesday in Abuja, Kalu, a former governor of Abia, said he is in talks about his bid with Abdulaziz Yari, a senate president hopeful and former governor of Zamfara.

The chief whip said the outcome of their meetings will be unveiled soon.

“I won’t step down for anybody. We are talking with governor Yari. Our group and his group are talking, intimate talk and partnership. We will make sure that no one zone can produce the senate presidency,” he said.

“Like I used to tell people, no one zone can produce the president of Nigeria. What we are trying to do with Senator Yari is a united partnership that will work for Nigeria. In the coming days or weeks, that partnership will be unveiled, so we are in serious talks.

“I cannot deny it – Yari is a friend of mine and I’m his friend and we have decided to talk. We have been speaking for the past four weeks and the result will be unveiled by our sponsors, he has his sponsors and I have my sponsors.

“So the sponsors will come together to decide what direction this partnership will be. I’ll be very happy to reveal what the sponsors will say.”

Kalu said he and Yari are seeking to protect the integrity of the senate and support the new administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The position of Kalu and Yari is contrary to the stance of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The ruling party had nominated Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, for senate president.