Group Pushes to Recall Two Abia Senators from N’Assembly

Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie

The Abia League of Professional Initiatives (ALPI) is pushing for the recall of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Senator Theodore Orji from the National Assembly, for allegedly not participating in the National Assembly voting exercise for electronic transmission of election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the consideration of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

The group had in a statement, commended Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe also from Abia State, for voting in support of electronic transmission of election results, but condemned Senators Kalu and Orji for their ‘deliberate absence during the voting exercise at the National Assembly’.

The lawmakers had decided to put into vote ‘for or against electronic transmission of election results’, during the consideration of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, where both senators were said to have been absent, just to avoid voting. At the end of the voting exercise, the lawmakers, who voted against the adoption of electronic transmission of results, out-numbered those that voted for the adoption of electronic transmission of results.

Worried about the action of Kalu and Orji, the group said both senators must be recalled since they no longer represent the interest of the Abia people who they were supposed to represent at the National Assembly.

While Senator Kalu travelled outside of Abuja to his constituency in Abia State to launch a project at that time and claimed there was no internet access to connect and vote, Senator Orji, who was present at the National Assembly at the time of voting, simply excused himself to go to toilet and could not vote.

Reacting to comments from Orji that the ALPI is a faceless group that should not be taken seriously, the Convener and National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Sonny Iroche, who was on the Morning Show of the ARISE NEWS television channels yesterday, said Senator Orji was naive about the composition of the group, which he said was formed by eminent Nigerians from the Igbo extraction, including four Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs).

According to Iroche, the group met and decided to recall both senators, adding: “As a group, we met and decided to recall both of them. We have written to inform them of our decision, and we are still waiting for their response.”

He faulted the claim of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) that Nigeria does not have enough 4G coverage to support transmission of election results, explaining that Abia State has enough 4G coverage to have connected Kalu to the National Assembly complex in Abuja to cast his vote.

Speaking about rotational presidency, Iroche said rotation had been a political agreement that has produced Nigerian presidents from all other geopolitical zones except the South-east.

He called on Nigerians to allow the rotational president arrangement to still play out in order to produce the next president from the South-east region.

“The South-east region has credible people who are educated and generally accommodating to all, and should be given the opportunity to lead Nigeria,” Iroche said.