Ngige suggests that either Kalu, Uwajumogu or Rochas would be ideal candidate for senate president

LABOUR minister Dr Chris Ngige has suggested that senators-elect Orji Uzor Kalu, Ben Uwajumogu and Rochas Okorocha are all candidates who are fully qualified to become the senate president in the ninth National Assembly.

Following the recent National Assembly elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged as the largest party and will subsequently produce the leaders of both the senate and the House of Representatives. Under Nigeria's informal political arrangement, the position of senate president will have to be zoned to one of the geo-political zones before the APC decides on which candidate to back.

Dr Ngige has thrown his weight behind the quest that the senate president position should go to the southeast geo-political zone. He added that Dr Kalu and Senator Uwajumogu are fully qualified for the position and should be considered by their party, the APC.

“We have those that are ranking now and in particular we have Ben Uwajumogu, who is now a two-term senator coming back with the ruling party. We have Dr Orji Uzor Kalu who was a Federal Assembly legislator during the military regime, it’s counted because it was a National Assembly, so he has got some ranking.

“Therefore, Orji Uzor Kalu is also qualified and Okorocha’s case will be determined before then. We now have some senators unlike the last time, so the southeast should definitely be in the equation.”

Senator Uwajumogu has been returned to represent the Imo North Senatorial District, while Dr Kalu is elected to represent the Abia Central Senatorial District. Governor Rochas Okorocha is seeking to get elected to represent the Imo West Senatorial District but the elections are still inconclusive and a supplementary poll in the area will be held on March 23 by the Independent national Electoral Commission.