A former APC senatorial aspirant in Abia State, Dr Philips Nto, has urged the people of Bende Federal Constituency to ensure that they re-elect their current representative in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, for sustainable development in the area.
He said the re-election of Kalu, who is the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, would not only benefit the people of Bende Federal Constituency but the entire Abia State.
In a statement he issued in Umuahia on Tuesday, Dr Philips Nto, who is a former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning in Abia State, described the re-election of Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu as a state project that is beyond political party considerations.
According to him, the Deputy Speaker has demonstrated capacity, accommodation, compassion and an inherent ability to fight for the people of Abia, irrespective of their political and religious leanings.
He said the people of Bende Federal Constituency should not be detained by talks of zoning or political party but should focus on performance.
Nto noted that Kalu has made good use of his position at the federal level to attract development projects not only to Bende Federal Constituency but also to Abia and the Southeast states.
Nto, a former Provost of Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu, said it was because of the political dexterity of the Deputy Speaker that the South East Development Commission became a reality.
“Ben Kalu has used his exalted position to attract infrastructure to Abia State, including a university. He has influenced the appointments of several people and secured employment for others,” he declared.
The APC chieftain also noted that as the number six man in Nigeria, and the highest political office holder in Igboland, Ben Kalu has leveraged his position to defend the interests of Ndigbo, Bende Federal Constituency inclusive.
He said, “Ben Kalu is a national asset. He is the voice of Ndigbo in Nigeria. He has represented us well. That’s why I insist that his re-election is beyond political party and zoning considerations. It is a project for all Bende people for the sustainable development of the constituency.”
Nto said the people of Bende should not put their fate in the hands of a political neophyte who has nothing to offer except his celebrity lifestyle and social orientations.
“The job is for matured minds, cerebral minds, experienced hands, movers and shakers in the Nigerian political landscape. Ben Kalu is the most qualified and should be encouraged to continue his good work,” Dr Philips Nto submitted.
