Orji Kalu calls for extension of APC caretaker committee

Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Kalu, has urged the National Executive Council (NEC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress to extend the tenure of the Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Committee to March 2021.

Mr Kunle Oyewumi of Orji Kalu Media Office, who made this known in a statement on Monday, said there was no need for fire brigade approach toward the party’s convention scheduled for December.

Kalu said that winning the governorship election in Edo should be paramount to the party at the moment.

He argued that the caretaker committee of the party could not offer its best due to time constraints, adding that majority of the participants would be busy with their national tasks during December period.

Kalu said that lawmakers at the National Assembly with ministers would be engaged in budget preparation and defense and as such would not be in better position to offer their best to the party.

“It is with deep patriotic concern and the growth of our great party that I am appealing to the NEC to consider extending the tenure of Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker Committee to March 2021 against the December proposed period.

“This is to give the caretaker committee members the needed time to put things in order and hand over properly to a new leadership in the end.

“I do not see any need for fire brigade approach for them to hand over to a new leadership by December.

“The committee is expected to focus their attention on Edo because the election will determine the strength of any new leadership,” Kalu said.

The former governor of Abia said that holding the convention in December would not also give the party the desired results needed.

According to him, this is because the National Assembly will soon enter budget presentation and defense and ministers will begin to make appearances at the National Assembly from October until November.

“Some of the ministers will also need to travel to their wards and make adequate preparations for the congress,” Kalu said.