2019: Kalu visits IBB, campaigns for Buhari; makes case for Igbo presidency in 2023

 
In the build up to the 2019 general elections, political gladiators have commenced high level discussions and political realignment in a bid to actualize their ambitions.
Recently, when former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Kalu, visited the Minna Hilltop mansion of former President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), political observers who had besieged IBB’s residence could not get a clue to what transpired at the one-hour closed door meeting between the former military ruler and Kalu.
However, an inside source in the Babangida camp has leaked details of the meeting between the two political heavy weights.
According to the close ally and trusted aide of the former military ruler, who craved anonymity, Kalu, who was accompanied by a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Sam Nkire and a former Director-General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Idi Farouk, was in Minna to seek IBB’s support for the second term bid of incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
Kalu had during his stint as Governor of Abia State settled the differences between Buhari and Babangida, after being at loggerheads for many years.
The former governor also facilitated the conferment of chieftaincy titles and honourary doctorate degrees on the two retired generals by Igbere Council of Ndi-Eze and Abia State University, Uturu respectively.
The source further disclosed that the former governor urged the former military ruler to throw his weight behind Buhari’s administration, emphasizing that the North should be allowed to complete their eight years while paving the way for the South East to produce the President in 2023.
It was also gathered that Kalu, who is a regular visitor to the Minna mansion of the former President, did not hide his unflinching support for Buhari all through the closed door meeting with his host.
According to the source, Babangida agreed to look into Kalu’s request, while promising to discuss further with the former governor “at a later date”.