Benjamin Kalu Officially Withdraws From Speakership Race, Accepts Deputy Slot

Honourable Benjamin Kalu on Tuesday announced he is no longer running for the Speaker position in the 10th National Assembly.

He, however, noted that he will seek the office of Deputy Speaker.

Kalu expressed his thanks to supporters while running for the Speaker position.

He believed the role would benefit the South East region, which hasn’t had a Speaker in 40 years.

However, he noted that he is committed to All Progressives Congress (APC) supremacy and has accepted the nomination for Deputy Speaker.

This is coming after the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC nominated him for Deputy Speaker.

He thanked the party’s leadership for the nomination and promised to support the party’s goals in the 10th Assembly.

Kalu also expressed gratitude to South East stakeholders for their efforts and encouraged supporters to accept the party’s decision.

The statement released by the lawmaker reads, “I wish to extend my gratitude and appreciation to all who have tirelessly supported my candidacy for the Speakership position of the 10th Assembly. I believed this position was ideal for the Southeast region, as it has not produced a Speaker in the last 40 years.

“However, as a firm believer in Party supremacy, I have decided to withdraw my candidacy for the Speakership Position and fully accept the nomination for the position of Deputy Speaker of the 10th Assembly in line with the directives of our Party the All Progressives Congress (APC). This decision aligns with the Party’s commitment to fairness, equity, and inclusiveness in all of its leadership selection processes.”