By Francis Ugwu

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu, says it will be difficult for any Igbo to win the presidency without zoning the seat to the South East.

Kalu disclosed this while briefing reporters at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said the presidency is not a regional issue and could only be won with the support of other geo-political zones.

He, therefore, urged his fellow politicians from the South East eyeing the highest office to wait for another time when major political parties would agree to zone the ticket to the region.

“Presidency is not a regional issue. I asked the political parties to zone the presidency to the South East. When they didn’t do that, and since the presidency is not a regional issue, I had to withdraw.

“I have no problem with the Igbo man being president. But we have to do it with other Nigerians. If we don’t do it with other Nigerians, it is not going to work, no matter how popular you are. It’s the president of Nigeria, not the president of Igboland.

“I’m an Igbo man to the core. I’m also a Nigerian to the core. If anyone from the Southeast had been nominated for the presidency, I would have been the one. So, it’s a party business. I have no grudges against anybody who is running”, he said.