By Christiana Ekpa
A group known as Conference of Civil Society of Nigeria (CCSN) has condemned the deliberate and unwarranted campaign of calumny by some unknown groups against the House of Representatives Spokesperson, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who is also a contender for the Speaker of the Green chamber.
The Coalition of Northern Patriotic Front, South West Professionals and Coalition of Arewa Youth Groups, at a press conference held in Abuja last week, had kicked against the Speakership aspiration of Kalu.
They insisted that the likes of Kalu does not possess the prerequisite qualities to speak for the House, hence he and his likes should bury their ambition of becoming Speaker and be patient to learn the ropes and allow themselves to be groomed.
However, briefing journalists in Abuja, the National Coordinator of CCSN, Comrade Archie Isong, knocked the groups, saying that Kalu’s ambition has unbalanced a certain segment and rather than focus on the core issues of competence, equity, balance, loyalty and leadership, they have descended into the abyss of mudslinging politics.
The group maintained that the race for the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives is a serious business and not some monkey business as exhibited by a motley of rag-tag, unknown and unregistered Coalition of so-called Northern Patriots Front, South West Professionals and Coalition of Arewa Group.
The group demanded a retraction of the libelous statement and urge Nigerians of good standing to ignore rumour peddlers and know that a virile, strong and representative House of Representatives leadership is in supporting Hon. Benjamin Kalu as the next Speaker of the House of Reps.
Justifying why Kalu remains the most qualified to occupy the seat of the Speaker of the House, it noted: “It is also important to note that one of the issues that was raised there was the issues of ethnic sentiments and mediocrity, the decision of who becomes the next speaker should not be based on sentiment and mediocrity.
“The point remains that Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who represents the entire Nigeria starting from Bende federal constituency as he always present himself has shown Nigerians that he is a man who doesn’t recognize the borders of our ethnic lines, the borders of our tongues, the borders of our religion, he is a man who has extended his handshake across the Niger with more friends in other regions, it’s not about ethnicity, it’s about capacity, It’s about preparation for this job.
“A man who took 17 years to prepare himself before coming to House of rep and has added another 4 years making it 21 years has the capacity to do what that office demands as we have seen him in the role of the Spokesperson of the House of Representatives. Never has there been a time that the image of the House was this effective.
“Hon. Kalu is not running on the basis of being Igbo, rather he is running because he is a prepared, ready to go nationalist who believes in the agenda of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
“Of a truth, Hon. Kalu’s political odyssey as the last man standing in Abia APC out of 8 Federal Constituencies is a weighty testament of his acceptability, dedication, commitment and unalloyed loyalty to the APC.
“If he were to have played Judas as alleged by his traducers, how is it that he is standing while others capitulated at the polls? We a knowledge that talk is cheap and parrots like to chatter to be noticed. If not, how can one explain without any empirical evidence the allegation that Hon Kalu sold to the party out.
