The Chairman Senate Committee on Southeast Development Commission, SEDC, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has urged Nigerians and politicians to desist from speaking ill of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
Speaking to journalists in Maryland, USA, Sen. Kalu cleared the doubts of people concerning the health of President Tinubu. He made it clear that the rumors going around that His Excellency, President Tinubu is currently hospitalized and is very sick, is blatantly false and untrue and wasn’t the reason he came to rest in USA, while noting that he spoke with President Tinubu in the last 12 hours and he is hale and hearty. Kalu revealed that President Tinubu has made some international contact and will embark on a State’s visit to Japan, and will make a stop over in Brazil. Though, not conceding, Sen. Kalu backed the notion that anybody can fall sick, while giving an example of himself, he informed his family members that he felt like not going downstairs for close to three days. Kalu used the opportunity to urge politicians to stop spreading these rumors.
“Well, that’s not the issue, the issue is that, I spoke to the President barely 12 hours ago, and the president is in good shape. The President has made some contacts with some International community people and did Nigerian businesses and the president is preparing for his journey to Japan and they will stop over in Brazil for a State visit. So, anybody can be tired. Like three days ago I went upstairs, without going downstairs, you can ask my daughter here and i told her i wasn’t going downstairs. I’ve been upstairs for two days resting. Anybody can be sick, anybody can feel not going out. I think the president just felt he wasn’t going out. I want politicians to stop carrying these rumours.” Kalu said.
Though not to jettison the economic realities faced by Nigerians, the former Governor of Abia State asserted that President Tinubu is on the right trajectory to lifting the suffering as a result of the harsh economic policies. Kalu informed the journalists that while in Maryland, he has spoken with Congress Men, IMF and World Bank top officials and they assured him that the economy of Nigeria is stable and growing. He encouraged Nigerians to collectively support Mr. President in fixing the economy. Kalu noted that while speaking with President Tinubu he acknowledged that Nigerians are feeling the hard side of the policies and the president sympathizes with the citizens, however, Kalu opined that the measures taken were ‘necessary evil & pills’ that must be taken if we want to escape this level of economic realities.
“We need to be collective people to work together to fix our economy. President Tinubu is on track. I’m here (USA), I’ve spoken to the congressmen. I’ve spoken to the IMF and I’ve spoken to the people in the World Bank. Honestly, President Tinubu and his economic policies are very harsh to Nigerians, the president knows that the people are suffering and he sympathizes with them every day. Even when he spoke to me, he told me that his heart is with Nigerian people, but it’s a necessary evil, necessary pill that we must swallow. So, I know that people are suffering, and the president himself knows that people are suffering.” Kalu opined.
The International business mogul informed the journalists that President Tinubu is assiduously working hard to transform Nigeria from a consumption economy to a productive economy. Though not to make light the dire experiences of the masses, Kalu said he doesn’t see why people are lamenting because President is redirecting the economy where it ought to be in the near future. Kalu urged Nigerians not to joke with these all important economic policies that will change Nigeria for good.
“I will continue saying this because people are joking with the economic policies of the president. We were a consumption country before. President Tinubu wants us to be a productive country. We need to produce. We need to convert our agricultural products to goods and I don’t see why people are crying.” Kalu asserted.
The former Chief Whip of the 9th Senate confirmed that Brazil once faced the same economic hardship Nigeria is currently facing, but they overcame the troubling waters, suggesting that the relationship between President Tinubu and his Brazilian colleague, President Lula Da Silva is in the best interest of the country, noting that Nigeria will greatly gain from their friendship. Kalu emphasized that Nigeria is giving a lot of freebies which isn’t helping the economy and this new disruptive ways of doing things right must be encouraged.
“President Lula da Silva saw the same things many years ago before he was elected in 2003 and this is how Brazil was. I know that. I was there with President Thabo Mbeki for the swearing in 2003.
So, I want the friendship of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and President Lula da Silva to continue because we’re going to gain a lot from that friendship and I believe that the economic policies of President Tinubu might be harsh today, but it will be better tomorrow. We are doing dash, We are giving everything for free, but Tinubu is bringing back the economy where it’s supposed to be. We have done so many good things.” Kalu emphasized.
Kalu reaffirmed his support for the Renewed Hope Agenda, because he is a ranking member of the All Progressive Congress, a serving ranking Senator and above all, a bonafide friend of President Tinubu which spans over 40 years. He made it explicitly clear that APC is doing everything possible to change the narrative and set the country on the right path, while discouraging politicians and Nigerians from carrying unfounded rumours that will create panic and hit up the polity. Kalu promised to speak more on the economic policies in the next two to three weeks.
“I’m part and parcel of this government because, one, the President is my friend. Secondly, I’m the senator serving Abia North and I cannot distance myself and am a ranking member of All Progressive Congress. So, we’re doing everything possible. Nigerian people and politicians should stop all these rumours, they should focus on what we’re doing, we’ve done so many good things and we’ll continue to be on track. I don’t want to talk too much today, I’ll speak in the next two to three weeks on economic policies. Thank you very much” Kalu spoke out.
