Orji Kalu Foresees Tinubu's 2027 Re-election, Praises Economic Drive

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North in the National Assembly, has voiced strong confidence in President Bola Tinubu's potential to secure a victory in the 2027 presidential election. Kalu attributed this belief to the President's ongoing efforts to stabilize and improve the nation's economy. The former Abia State Governor made these remarks during a recent stakeholders' gathering held at his country home in Bende Local Government Area.

Senator Kalu lauded President Tinubu's leadership qualities, stating, "He has a Lion’s heart. He is bold. He is not afraid in taking decisions." He further expressed his personal ambition, saying, "My desire is to see President Bola Tinubu winning again. I want to see all members of our National Assembly winning again." Kalu emphasized the importance of a strong legislative backing for the President, noting, "If I win, other people did not follow me, President Tinubu will not have a strong voting power in the National Assembly. So we need strong voting power. We need strong appearance. We need strong behaviour. We need everything to win this state."

Addressing the economic situation, Kalu acknowledged the President's performance at the macro-economic level, stating, "President Tinubu has performed very well on the macro economy." However, he conceded that the micro-economy had not seen similar success, primarily due to widespread insecurity across Nigeria, which the President is actively tackling. He elaborated, "On the micro economy, we have not done very well. And the reason is simple because of insecurity everywhere in Nigeria, and he is battling the insecurity. So what we are suffering today is a micro-economy problem. The President, Tinubu has done well. He is one of the boldest people you can see in Nigeria."

The senator also took the opportunity to reiterate his long-standing advocacy for state policing. "I have been calling for State Police since I was elected as Governor in 1999," Kalu asserted, recalling his establishment of the Bakassi Boys, which he considered "almost equivalent to State Police" and worked effectively with federal security agencies. He declared, "In my opinion State Police is a must. We have just passed the law to replace the Nigerian Police Force with the Federal Police Services and State Police Services."

Kalu urged for national unity and support for the President, advising citizens against wasting their votes. "Nigeria must be united. We must support our president to enable our president to help us," he stated. He maintained that President Tinubu currently faces no significant political opposition. "President Tinubu has no competitors. He has no rivals. Let us not throw away our vote. Let our vote be valid. Let nobody deceive us. We need to be a united Nigeria."

He reflected on the nation's economic state before Tinubu's tenure, noting, "We have returned back to where we were before because the economy was almost collapsing. That is the truth." Kalu believes Tinubu is committed to economic recovery and will not lose the next election because of his efforts to restore pride in the Nigerian economy. He also highlighted the President's new strategies against banditry, claiming, "President Tinubu is fighting bandits all over Nigeria now, and they are on the run." While acknowledging that policy effects take time, Kalu expressed optimism, stating, "If I must say the truth, foreign investments are coming, but they are not touching the ground. So I believe that by mid next year, we will see the stimulation of the economy."