How Orji Kalu Became The Highest Igbo Man In Govt

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has emerged as the highest political office holder of Southeast extraction after he was named as the Chief Whip of the Senate on Tuesday.

As chief whip, he is principally charged with enforcing order in the chamber and among senators.

He was so designated in a letter written by the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole which was read out on the Senate floor at the plenary on Tuesday.

By that ranking, he becomes about the number four person in the Senate. According to tradition, he would struggle the number four position with the deputy Senate leader and the minority leader in the order of protocol.

Unlike the past 18 years when someone from the Southeast was consistently within the first two positions in the Senate, and first sixth position in the national order of protocol, the situation, the position of the Southeast has been especially diminished.

The Southeast Is In No Place Of Reckoning In This Dispensation

Senator Kalu’s emergence as Chief Whip came after he made a pointed struggle for the office of Deputy President of the Senate. Despite earlier assertions that he would not step down in the face of the non-recognition of the Southeast, he eventually stepped down. It is perhaps in that light that the party has now compensated him with the position of Chief Whip.

Senator Kalu is one of two Southeast APC senators and he happens to have a higher legislative ranking. Though it is his first time in the Senate, Senator Kalu was a member of the Third Republic House of Representatives. The other APC senator from the region, Senator Rochas Okorocha is in the Senate for the first time.

A successful businessman, Senator Kalu is a former governor of Abia State and had in the past two General Elections, sought election to the Senate but failed until this time when he ousted the former incumbent, Senator Mao Ohabunwa.

The dispute over the Abia North Senate seat between the two of them is still a matter of contention at the National Assembly Tribunal.

Other principal officers named at the plenary on Tuesday included: Senator Abdullahi Yahaya (Senate Leader), Senator Ajayi Boroffice (Deputy Senate Leader), and Senator Abdullahi Sabi, (deputy chief whip.)

On its part the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has also named Senator Enyinninya Abaribe (Minority Leader), Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (Deputy Minority Leader,) Senator Philip Aduda (Minority Whip) and Senator Sahabi Yau (Deputy Minority Whip.)

In the same vein, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a letter written by its national chairman, Mr. Uche Secondus picked Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe as Minority leader of the Senate.

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