The Senator for Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu has defended United States (US) President Donald Trump’s recent remarks on insecurity in Nigeria, saying they mirror the harsh realities facing the country.
Speaking to journalists at the National Assembly in Abuja, Kalu said Trump’s comments on religiously motivated violence should not be dismissed, noting that both Christians and Muslims continue to fall victim to extremist attacks across Nigeria.
"Let’s be honest, what Donald Trump said is not a lie. Nigerians are being killed, whether they are Christians or Muslims.
"If they attack in Plateau, the victims are mostly Christians; in Zamfara, they are Muslims. These people are jihadists, they want to destroy Nigeria, and we must call them by their name without pity," he said.
Kalu, who maintains close ties with American political figures, revealed that he had spoken with two former US presidents, one Democrat and one Republican, as well as more than 60 US lawmakers, who he said were ready to assist Nigeria in its counterterrorism efforts.
"Before President Trump said anything, I’m sure the American intelligence community had already verified the facts.
"You can see that the Nigerian Air Force has intensified operations in recent days, possibly based on intelligence from US authorities," he said.
Declaring himself "pro-America," Kalu urged the Nigerian government to strengthen its partnership with Washington, while appealing to citizens and the media to support security agencies in identifying extremist elements within their communities.
He, however, accused the US and its Western allies of indirectly fuelling insecurity across Africa following the overthrow of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi and Iraq’s Saddam Hussein.
"Let’s also be honest, America partly created this problem. After they killed Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein, arms flooded Africa.
"But as the leader of the free world, the US still has a role to play in restoring order," he said.
On domestic matters, Kalu stated that President Bola Tinubu’s administration would overcome current security and economic challenges, praising the military for its recent successes in the North.
The Former Abia State Governor dismissed rumours of plots to unseat Senate President Godswill Akpabio, insisting that the Senate remained united behind Tinubu’s economic reforms.
"At the beginning, there were indeed stories about moves to remove the Senate President.
"But as you can see, everything is calm. The Senate is focused on making laws that will help President Bola Ahmed Tinubu tackle the economic challenges facing our people," he said.
Addressing the recent wave of defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kalu maintained that no one was being coerced to join the ruling party.
"Not by me, not by any senator, and not by the Senate President or the President. As for me, I work 100 per cent for the APC. I’ll campaign and ensure victory for our President and every APC candidate," he said.
He further revealed that he would support his brother’s political ambitions within the APC but would oppose any governor still aligned with other parties.
On Anambra politics, Kalu predicted that Governor Chukwuma Soludo would eventually defect to the APC after ongoing court cases are resolved.
"Soludo is a progressive like President Tinubu, like me, like the Senate President. He has no alternative but to join us in the APC," he said.
Assessing Tinubu’s political standing ahead of the 2027 general elections, Kalu believed the president remains unchallenged.
"The 2027 election will be Tinubu versus Tinubu, there’s no cohesive opposition. Our party is strong, grounded, and with the people," he said.
While acknowledging the economic hardships Nigerians are facing, Kalu upheld faith in the government’s ongoing reforms.
"As a businessman, I feel the pain but also see the progress. The macroeconomic indicators are improving, but the microeconomic situation is still tough. The real challenge is getting relief to the masses," he said.
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