Former Governor of Abia State and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Saturday asked Nigerians to stop play politics with religion.
He warned against the politics of religion and tribe after paying a courtesy visit to Enugu State Governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the State House, Enugu yesterday.
During the visit, Kalu commended the governor for showing respect to President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders in the country irrespective of political affiliations.
According to the reports gathered by Eyes Of Lagos, He explained the reason behind his vision the Enugu Government House despite belonging to different political party with the governor, noting that he was just on a routine visit.
He said: “I pass through here. I also tell the President and Commander-in-Chief that I am going to him. There is no way I can come to Enugu without passing through here, more over he (Ugwuanyi) is a very close friend of mine.
This is like a home to all Igbos. This is the headquarters of Igbo land. I am in very good terms with the governor, not just because he is a governor. You know MV Neya and MV Sophia Maria when he was Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Marine Transport, he commissioned them in Malaysia.
“So, people should stop playing politics of tribe. We go to the same church. He is a catholic. I am a catholic. I wish him well; I hope he is also wishing President Buhari well.”
Kalu expressed delight at the friendship the governor has maintained with political leaders across the board, stressing that such uncommon leadership style has brought peace and development to Enugu State.
He said Ugwuanyi “is a very close friend of mine and we are family irrespective of the fact that they are in different political parties. I am in very good terms with the governor of Enugu State, even before he became a governor.”
Kalu disclosed that Buhari took Ugwuanyi as a family, declaring that there “is no point to quarrel with anybody who is not quarreling with us. I look at Ugwuanyi as a family member.
“So, I do not expect him to be in the same political party with me. He is of PDP. I am of APC. But we maintain the friendship. It is across the board,” Kalu noted.
