Chief Orji Kalu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Abia has predicted that the 2019 general elections would be violence-free across the country.
Kalu made the prediction on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia, the Abia Capital.
He said: “There was no violence in 2015 in spite the general fear and predictions before the polls, so there will be no violence in 2019.
“The elections will be peaceful here in Abia and across the whole Federation.”
He said that the ruling-APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari would stop at nothing to ensure hitch-free election.
“The elections will not be marred by violence. APC-led government will leave no stone unturned to protect the nation democracy.’’
He said that the pressure of electioneering usually heated up the polity and described the development as natural and often precedent to general elections anywhere in the world.
According to the ex-governor, such heat being experienced should not be mistaken as a sign of imminent violence.
“Even in the U.S., the polity is presently heating up ahead of the midterm elections coming up on Nov. 6,’’ he said.
Kalu, who is a senatorial aspirant for Abia North, took exception to the recent destruction of billboards and posters belonging to political office seekers in the area.
He blamed the act on desperate politicians and their thugs, saying that people should not make politics a do-or-die affair.
“People should see politics as a game, if you win, you rejoice but if you lose you take it in the spirit of sportsmanship. It should not be a do-or-die affair.’’
On the recent defections across different party lines by some prominent politicians in the country, Kalu said that the actions were intended to satisfy personal interest and “not in the interest of the people.’’
“Those politicians that are defecting are doing so for their selfish interest because they felt that they would not get the ticket from their former parties.’’
He attributed the trend to the lack of ideology among the nation’s political class, saying that politicians should learn to play politics of ideology.
“You saw that when I left the Peoples Democratic Party I did not return rather, I joined APC because it meets my expectations and that is where all Nigerians of note are sitting.’’
Kalu said that he was determined to bring the Southeast geo-political zone into the mainstream of the nation’s politics.
“I am currently working hard day and night to ensure that APC wins the governorship and National Assembly positions in all the states in the zone.
“My ambition is to make sure that I bring the South-east to sit where other Nigerians are sitting and we must achieve it in 2019.’’
Kalu reiterated his earlier position that APC would have a landslide victory in the zone in 2019.
He said APC would score at least, 75 per cent votes in Abia and 51 per cent in the other states in the zone. (NAN)
