The lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District, Orji Uzor Kalu has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to posthumously declare the late Chief Moshood Abiola one of Nigeria’s former presidents.
Kalu suggested on Tuesday that Abiola’s portrait should be hung alongside those of other Nigerian presidents.
The former governor also expressed confidence in Tinubu’s victory in the 2027 election and called on Nigerians to support him.
He made the statements while addressing Senate correspondents at the National Assembly on his way to the chambers for the day’s plenary.
Kalu’s call for Abiola to be recognised as a former president was based on the revelation by the former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), who confirmed that Abiola was the winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest election in the country’s history.
IBB, in his memoirs, “A Journey in Service: An Autobiography”, admitted that the late Abiola won the election.
Kalu, known to be an ‘IBB’s Boy’, told Senate Correspondents that with IBB’s latest revelations, the controversy over the election had been laid to rest, hence Tinubu should declare Abiola one of Nigeria’s Presidents posthumously.
Responding to a question, Kalu said: “Yes, Abiola won the election. And I will say President Tinubu should declare him a president posthumously.
“Since Abiola won, his picture should be placed among Nigeria’s past presidents. I commend former President (Muhammadu) Buhari for giving him a posthumous national honour, but I would also appeal to President Tinubu to officially recognise him and place his image where it belongs.
“This would help bring succour to his family.”
On his take on whether IBB answered all the issues and debates his eight-year military rule generated in his book, Kalu responded that the narrative was incomplete.
He called on the former military president to write Part II of the book, which would be devoted largely to unanswered questions about the June 12 election, particularly the persons he claimed forced him to annul the results.
“I look forward to the second edition of Babangida’s book because the first did not reveal all the realities.
“I was present during the events of June 12, and I know what happened. Babangida should call out the names of those responsible for preventing the election declaration.
“The coup in question was not an Igbo coup; it was a Nigerian coup, executed by the military. Moshood Abiola won that election, and there is no doubt about it,” Kalu said.
In what appeared to be Kalu’s commencement of the campaign for the reelection of President Tinubu in 2027, he said there was no doubt the president would be re-elected.
“Yes, Asiwaju will win in 2027,” he said unequivocally in response to a question.
Kalu, who was attired in a burgundy coloured dress on Tuesday, against his traditional all-white outfit, said the colour meant continuity.
“This is continuity; it means Asiwaju, continue!”
He explained that “Many Nigerian presidents who have not performed well have still won a second term.
“We are appealing to the Nigerian people to be patient with the reform process. We are not looking for another presidential candidate outside of our party; we are fully aligned with democratic principles and support the sitting president.
“The good news is that we will win again in 2027. The president will return, and Nigerians will celebrate with us. That is inevitable.”