The Chief Whip of the Senate, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has withdrawn from the 2023 presidential race.
He has, however, thrown his weight behind the ambition of the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan who has joined the race from the northeast region of the country.
Kalu said that his withdrawal was occasioned by the non-zoning of the presidential ticket to his home region, the southeast.
In a statement he signed and made available to Vanguard in Abuja on Monday, Kalu opted to return to the Senate.
He said: “I congratulate my friend, former roommate, and boss, Senator Ahmad Lawan as he picks a form to run for President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under our great party, All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I am most glad because he is from the North-East, the only zone alongside the South-East that is yet to produce the President of Nigeria.
“I have always maintained an unambiguous stand that for justice, equity, and fairness in our country, the next President of Nigeria after President Muhammadu Buhari should come from the South-East or the North-East.
“I have also told Nigerians that I would only run for president if the two major political parties (APC and PDP) zone their tickets to the South-East.
“That is why I was disappointed with our southern brothers who are talking about fairness and equity but have zero tolerance for the same fairness and equity in the South.
“In the absence of a south easterner being president of Nigeria in 2023, I have my full support for a North Easterner.
“This is because it would be the closest to the equity, fairness, and justice everyone is talking about. It further means that justice is on its way to the South-East.
“I thank those who said they have picked a presidential form for me because they meant well for Nigerians.
“However, since there is no zoning and the contest is open to all Nigerians, I officially withdraw from the presidential contest in 2023.
“I have also picked a ticket to run for Abia North Senatorial zone and to complete the good work I started in Abia North.
“I urge all my friends, allies, and supporters in the APC to toe the line of justice by supporting Senator Ahmad Lawan, a North Easterner for the presidential ticket of the APC.”
