Mr. Kalu pledged his loyalty to the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari and assured party members that South-Eastern states governed by opposition parties would be won over by the APC in the 2019 elections.
Former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Mr. Kalu, who is facing trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a N3.2b fraud, was received at the APC headquarters in Abuja. APC National Chairman John Odige-Oyegun and members of the National Working Committee officially welcomed the former governor to the party.
According to Mr. Kalu, APC chieftains had been courting him for some time. He said they invited him to dinner at least twenty times.
“They had been on my neck, asking that I must come over to APC,” Mr. Kalu said. “The national chairman always buys me red wine.”
Thanking the APC for the opportunity, Mr. Kalu said it was a privilege to be accepted by the party. He pledged his loyalty to the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari and assured party members that South-Eastern states governed by opposition parties would be won over by the APC in the 2019 elections.
“God will help us achieve this, but the most important thing is the ability to consult, discuss and move forward,” he said.
While fully supporting the APC, Mr. Kalu said he would not contest in any elections, preferring instead to continue his role as an entrepreneur. Regardless, Mr. Odige-Oyegun said Mr. Kalu would be an asset to the party, saying he would play an instrumental role in winning states in the South-East and South-South in 2019.
“Given the attachment of the South-East before now, it was also necessary to go out for leaders who can contribute positively, who people listen to, and [Mr. Kalu] fall[s] into that category,” he said.
