Former Gov. Orji Kalu of Abia State says it is more beneficial for the South-East to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), in order to benefit from being in the mainstream national politics.

Mr. Kalu said this during an interaction with journalists at his “Camp Neya” country home at Igbere in Bende Local Government Area of the state.

He said the victories recorded by APC in the Edo and Ondo general elections proved that the APC had become acceptable to Nigerians.

He, therefore, argued that the people of the South-East would benefit more if they quit the opposition camp and stood with the decision makers in the ruling party.

“Ndigbo should join APC to enable them to sit where other Nigerians are seated to decide on how to move the nation forward.

“The APC electoral victories in Edo and Ondo clearly showed the popularity of the party.

“So, I did not make mistake in taking the Igbos into national politics, where other Nigerians are seated; that is where I want the Igbos to sit.

“So, there is nothing wrong in our joining APC for us to be able to sit where other Nigerians are seated. That is more important to me.”

He said it was imperative for other prominent Igbo politicians to swell the number of people from the South-East region in APC.

He identified other APC members of South-East extraction to include the Minister of Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, and Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo, among others.

Mr. Kalu commended President Muhammadu Buhari for fulfilling his promise to resume work on federal roads in the South-East.

“During my visit to the president, he made a promise to me and other leaders three months ago that all the contractors would be back to the federal roads before the end of November.

“Today, if you go to every federal road in Eastern Nigeria, you will see that all the contractors are back fully and this is why I joined APC.

“I didn’t join the party on selfish basis; I joined because the president made a promise and I have seen that the contractors are back to site.

“And if they are back, why can’t I believe him? He will do more,” Mr. Kalu said.

He said his interest was for the South-East to have good roads, security and opportunities to trade and achieve prosperity.

On the current economic recession in the country, Mr. Kalu, who is also a renowned businessman, said: “All nations of the world are going through recession; Nigeria is not an exception.

“I am an international businessman; I am crying in all the countries I am doing business.

“From one country to the other, the story is the same; so we are crying there as we are crying in Nigeria.”

Mr. Kalu urged the president to pay attention to the economy as he had done to security.

(NAN)