The Oduduwa Citizens Action for Progress (OCAP) has described the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu, as a symbol of national unity.
Speaking at a parley on Tuesday in Lagos, the President of the group, Comrade Kolawole Abe, said Rt Hon. Kalu has already proven his mettle in the 10th National Assembly.
Abe was reacting to the news of the dismissal of the petition challenging Kalu’s victory in the Bende Federal Constituency election.
The Oduduwa youth leader said the Deputy Speaker’s victory has widely settled the anxiety of the Yoruba nation who have found Kalu as a dependable ally and compatriot.
According to Abe, the emergence of the Abia lawmaker as Deputy Speaker initially created panic owing to his modest lifestyle and calm demeanor.
He said there was skepticism and discontent among some southwest elites over President Bola Tinubu’s insistence on Kalu, having just spent one term in the parliament.
However, Abe reckons that the Deputy Speaker has silenced these critics, including his group, and justified the President’s trust with his sterling performance so far.
Beneath his gentle and easygoing traits, Abe said there is a passionate Nigerian with a burning desire to make things right.
He added that the Deputy Speaker is vibrant, charismatic, and vocal when it comes to issues of national interest.
“When the ruling party announced its decision on the leadership of the 10th National Assembly, a lot of us from the southwest didn’t quite know about Rt Hon. Kalu,” he said.
“Naturally, there were doubts. Many of our elites felt the position should come to the southwest and not an Igbo man. We were wrong.
“As a visionary leader that he has been for almost all his life, President Tinubu saw something unique in Kalu. Thank God, he didn’t succumb to pressure.
“Today, the Deputy Speaker has repaid the faith by performing excellently. That the 10th House of Reps is already breaking records is down to this articulate, capable, and talented young man.
“But what has struck us the most is his acceptability across the nation. For that to happen, Kalu is doing something right.
“We have discovered that he is a unifier, peace lover, and nation-builder. He epitomizes friendship, loyalty, and dedication.”
Comrade Abe, therefore, described Kalu as the perfect example of what is expected from southeast leaders.
He said if Igbo elites can embrace others with love not minding their religion or ethnic affiliations, the country would witness more peace and economic prosperity.
Abe said the little they have known about the Deputy Speaker shows that he has something Igbo leaders must emulate going forward.
“We know that leadership is from God but we need each other to build a prosperous nation,” he added.
“For the Igbo presidency to come to reality, the southeast would need more detribalized and unsentimental sons and daughters like Kalu.
“Similar to President Tinubu, he believes in making friends across the country, collaborating with everyone irrespective of age, religion or tribe.”