Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission, has stated that his public endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 is not driven by personal ambition or political sycophancy.
The former Abia State governor made these remarks during an interview on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television hosted by Seun Okinbaloye.
Kalu recently sparked public debate when he appeared at the Senate plenary wearing an outfit bearing the inscription “Tinubu for President 2027”. Addressing the backlash, he dismissed claims that his attire was politically motivated.
“Who else would have made that dress other than Aba tailors? It was made in Aba, dyed in Aba, and delivered in Aba. It is only Aba people who are hard-working that can do it,” Kalu said. “It’s very fashionable, and I will wear it again.”
When questioned about accusations of sycophancy, he responded firmly, “Can a man like me be sycophantic? I am not running for anything. Where am I running to? I’m only running to return to the Senate. It’s not political sycophancy. I am a man that can’t be sycophantic. It is a uniform for 2027.”
Pressed on why he wore the outfit in 2025, Kalu explained, “Sure, my house manager just made it available that morning, and I wore it. I don’t see anything wrong in wearing it. It’s you press people that saw something wrong. INEC has lifted the ban on the campaign, but we are preparing.”
When asked if he was now Tinubu’s unofficial campaign manager, Kalu replied, “What is wrong with that? I will be very happy to accept it and do the job for him. I don’t have anything to regret in doing the job.”
He also emphasized national unity over regional politics, stating, “President Tinubu is not the President of the South but the candidate of Nigeria, and I am a Nigerian. I have always said this: every Nigerian should stop addressing himself or herself by region. I have asked for legislation where I suggested we remove all local government and state information on forms; people should only fill out that they are Nigerians.”
Defending his early endorsement of Tinubu, Kalu said, “We are a political party, and there must be activities of a political party. We had a midterm assessment of our party where the whole party’s stakeholders gathered. I was in the Senate to do my legislative job, and the journalists ran over me. It’s my dress, and I have the right to wear anything I like. There is freedom of association and freedom of speech. I also have the right to say what I want to say.”
Responding to criticism that he accused Nigerians of depending on “easy money,” Kalu stood by his remarks, saying, “I’m not regretting what I said. I work hard for every penny. Most rich people are waiting on these beds to take money from subsidies and sell dollars. These are what they have been doing. But it’s not about all Nigerians; I said most Nigerians, not all.”
He further linked opposition to Tinubu’s policies to financial interests, stating, “People fighting Tinubu are those that speculate from the dollars. They lie on their bed, they collect dollars for ₦100 and make ₦500 on top of the dollar. The removal of the subsidy affected me because I have two tank farms. So Tinubu made the best decision to stop the subsidy for the money to go to the rightful owners, which is the people.”
Highlighting his contributions to job creation, Kalu said, “I think about the people more than most of those attacking me. They have money, but they can’t build any industry in Nigeria. I still have about 14,000 Nigerian employees on my payroll today, and I’m building more industries to employ more. When I speak the truth, you know I don’t bend my words. I’m not a politician; in the first instance, I just found myself doing this.”
Kalu also revealed his role in the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party, stating, “I have never benefitted from the government. I brought the money used to form the PDP. Ask any PDP member in 1998 and 1999. I am the biggest importer of rice, sugar, and other confectioneries. I was a petroleum dealer. At my early age, I brought my personal money to fund the PDP. I gave former President Obasanjo over $1 million to campaign with and the party over ₦500 million to start the party because they were looking for money. The only few people who could have brought money were former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and TY Danjuma. Others had no money.”
When asked if he regretted forming the PDP, Kalu said, “I am not quarrelling with Obasanjo. He is a friend of the family, and I don’t quarrel with anybody. Nigerians must come together. What we need is to build a vibrant economy. Tinubu, Atiku, and Amaechi are the best of friends. Let’s all come together. Every day we come to fight, and abuse is no longer fashionable.”
Assessing Tinubu’s two years in office, Kalu remarked, “I am a businessman. I saw the economy in the last few years. If you see the industry, the manufacturers are crying. But the dollar has been stable, and the cost of fuel has been stable. Manufacturers are bearing the brunt now. I have told the President he is on top of the situation. The macro side is coming up, but other sides are not. Nigerians in the lower area are still suffering. The changes are still trickling down.”
On security and monetary policy, he advised, “The insurgency is the major cause. Some people working with Tinubu must go. Some ministers should go even in the security sector. I have also advised on the use of dollars on the street. If you check South Africa, they have firm control of their currency. There should be authorised sellers of dollars. President Tinubu needs a few more years. I think the economy will have a good sense of direction in two years, and the benefits will start coming. This economy has been in shambles, and it was not caused by anybody.”
Addressing Tinubu’s promise to reduce poverty, Kalu said, “There is no rocket science about it. Nigerians should be patriotic. The whole world is still feeling the effects of COVID. The U.S. has social security; we don’t. I am against abusing each other. The hatred among the political class, social class, and tribes must stop. I am a lawmaker, not a ruler.”
On public discontent, he explained, “Nigerians ought to be angry, but my party has not failed Nigerians. Nigerians are suffering because the political class is doing terrorism. The political war is causing people pain. People who want to grab power – some of them are not even looking for money; they just want power. We should be able to lift Nigerians up.”
