A bi-partisan Abia Leaders of Thought today, paid a courtesy call to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, at the Senate Wing of the National Assembly. In attendance were the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Senate Chief Whip, Senate Deputy Chief Whip, former Governor of Abia State, Deputy Chief Whip and both APC and PDP serving members of the House, former senators from Abia State, former members of the House of Reps, former minister of labour and productivity, former Speakers of Abia State House of Assembly, former Attorney General of Abia State, former Abia State Commissioner to NDDC, former chief of staff to the governor of Abia State, entrepreneurs and industrialists from Abia State, among others. The group visited to express their gratitude to the Senate for preserving the seat of the Senate Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Kalu during his absence and to express appreciation for all the efforts of the Senate to see that justice was done in the matter.
The visitors also seized the opportunity to request for implementation of the federal character principle in the appointment of commissioners of the National Assembly Service Commission, which they argued was ripe for the membership of an Abian according to the rotation formula adopted for that position with Imo State.
The Senate President thanked the august visitors led by Senator Adighije and took time to explain his cordial relationship with Dr. Orji Kalu, a relationship he said to be over 40 years starting from their days as roommates in Maiduguri. He went ahead to state that the National Assembly would always support theirs in the spirit of camaraderie.
The Senate President commended Abia leaders of thought for their bi-partisan approach to state development anchored on unity and maintained that this was the first of its kind in a long time where politicians across party lines would openly to work together for the advancement of their state. He therefore called on others to emulate such leadership style.
Speaking on the visitors’ request, the Senate president promised to look into it after the necessary consultations.
Before rounding up, the Senate President took time to eulogize the members sent by Abians to the National Assembly as people who have been found worthy to handle leadership responsibilities and specifically celebrated the Spokesperson of the House, Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu whom he described as not only working for the House of Representatives, but as doing a great job for the entire institution of the National Assembly.
When Rep. Benjamin Kalu as approached by our correspondents after the meeting, he was visibly elated, stating that;
“such recognition from the Senate President shows that he is a very observant leader and means that he has been following up with our works in engaging the public and defending the institution. That to me is like a trophy won today and is an encouragement to do more for the institution and for Nigerians.”
The event was followed by official group photographs.
