Orji Uzor Kalu: says APC will not challenge result of Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency election

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Orji Kalu, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not challenge the outcome of last Saturday’s Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency bye-election “because we value human life.”

Cosmos Kalu, the younger brother of the Senator who was the APC candidate was overwhelmingly defeated by the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party in the bye- election.

But speaking while inspecting a road project in Arochukwu part of the State on Friday, Kalu said his party will not challenge the result, though the election was  marred by thuggery and violence.

He added that the APC had learnt its lesson from the experience and would not allow it to happen again while warning that use of thugs during elections portends great danger to the nation’s democracy.

He spoke against the backdrop of last Saturday’s Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency bye-election, which was reportedly marred by thuggery and violence.

He called on Nigerians of good conscience and believers in democracy to condemn thuggery in it’s entirety in the nation’s political system.

“What happened in Aba was a shame to our democracy because thuggery is not part of democracy.

“It should not be tolerated. It should be condemned by every well-meaning Nigerian. It is not the right thing to do in a democracy.

“Even security operatives were overwhelmed by what happened,” he said.

He said that he never resorted to thuggery during his administrion as governor of the state.

The former governor (1999 – 2007) also decried the post-election protest by a cross-section of Ukwa/Ngwa nationality of Abia against his political influence in the area.

Reacting to the protest, Kalu said: “They should rather protest against bad roads, government’s inability to pay workers’ salaries and pension.

“When I was governor, I never owed salaries and pension.

“People should demonstrate against government’s failure to provide the dividend of democracy for the citizenry.”

He recalled that as governor, he provided free education and healthcare for the people.

He contended that roads built in Aba by his administration had dilapidated due to the lack of maintenance.

“I challenge the state government and political office holders in the state to show proof of what they have done for their people.