Kalu: Tinubu, Pope Leo XIV’s Buddy, They Met In Chicago

BY PATRICK WEMAMBU

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a close, personal friend of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV. He added that both personalities met in the United States of America where the former lived while studying Accounting at the Chicago State University. Tinubu was said to have graduated in 1979 and returned to Nigeria to work as an Accountant for Mobil Producing.

Kalu made the remarks while speaking to the Press Corps of the Senate at the National Assembly Tuesday. He was reacting to a question on why Tinubu – a moslem – decided to attend the Papal Inauguration May 18 2025 at the Vatican instead of saddling a Christian government official with that responsibility.

Observing that there are about 1.8 billion Catholics including himself in the world, the lawmaker added that it would have been out of place if President Tinubu had not honored the invitation of the Pope.

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He spoke on the wave of endorsements of Mr. President for 2027 – dispelling insinuations that the action is linked to fear of the opposition. “No, no, no. I don’t think that a party like APC have anybody to fear about. We are a ruling party. We are passionate about Nigeria. We love Nigeria. And that is why most of us are building industries all over Nigeria, so Nigerian people can have jobs, even not government. So, there’s nothing like fear.

“The opposition are there. If the opposition don’t criticize us for the endorsements, who would they criticize? It’s their job to criticize, but it’s our job to do our job. And we are doing our job perfectly very well. And I hope that Nigerian people in the next few years will appreciate what Mr. President is doing,” he explained.

Harping on the cases of endorsements, the high-ranking parliamentarian declared that there nothing else to endorse – especially with the approval of the South East. His words; “Well, is there anything else to endorse? Can you see what I’m wearing? If you look at the dress I’m wearing, you will know what it is.

“This is the endorsement for President. My dress is perfectly tailored to that and the Southeast caucus is fully in support. We have endorsed him about three or four weeks ago, even before any other person in any group. And I was there, chaired by the Governor of Hope, co-chaired by the Governor of Ebonyi and Deputy Speaker. We were the first that warranted for the national endorsement.”

He charged that the APC would be fair to all Nigerians. And being fair to all Nigerians connote recognizing the rule of opposition. Yet if opposition do not do what they are expected to do, Kalu assured that they will not be respected. He encouraged the opposition to be vibrant in fighting.

Commenting on the achievements of Tinubu, Kalu agreed that the indices of Mr. President’s policy might not be trickling down the line. People are still suffering. But he expressed optimism that in the next 2-3 years, the policies of Mr. President will trickle down. And Nigerians will appreciate what Mr. President is doing.

“Since 1960, I’m not a psychopath. This is first President, you know, I have facts this is first President that stopped subsidy. This is first President that merged the dollar, That is why we are suffering. Because Nigerians are not used to working hard. We are used to getting cheap money. People sleep in their houses and use telephone and get dollar and sell it at very high rate.

“People sit in their houses and use their tank farms and collect paper and they make money. This is one President who has said, if you are ready to make money, make it the right way. If you are not ready to make money, you leave it.

“So, I don’t think, moreover, they have to vote for him because, you see, President Tinibu is not going to be a President voted by the South alone. He will be a President that will be voted by North and South. And it’s also for the interest of everybody, both the North and the South, for Tinubu to come back.

“We don’t want this country to break. We don’t want the country to break. We want the country to continue being our country. I love the country. I’m a product of this country and I’m very proud that I’m a Nigerian. Many people are not proud. You can see people cursing Nigeria abroad, talking about Nigeria abroad, saying bad things about their own country. It is not good, whether you are in opposition or you are in ruling party, it’s not good to curse your President or curse the country.

“Tinubu is not the owner of this country. Is he the owner? To you journalists, is Tinubu the owner? No. We are the owners of the country. The highest he will stay is 8 years.

“After 8 years, we take back our country. Buhari is a Daura now true or false? Is he not a Daura? So, one day, Tinubu will go back to Lagos in 2031. He will go back there,” Kalu enthused.

He gave an insight into what his constituents should expect. “In 2027, we will be shifting our program. And once everything will not be roads and schools again, we will move totally to agriculture. We would like to see an agricultural policy, totally.

“When I was governor, every Abian, whether you are a civil servant or not all of them were in the farm. So, what I’m doing in Abia North you are giving me the award, was what I did as governor.

“It’s just Nigerians are hypocrites. They don’t tell the truth. They lie. If you’re opposition, speak the truth. If you’re in the ruling party, speak the truth. People are afraid of saying the truth and I’m e not afraid of saying the truth.

“So, for me, to work is part of my passion.
You know, you must like people, love people before you can work for people. That is it. So, to me, if you go to our constituency, there are a lot of caterpillars there working and they are still working. Wherever they cannot work very well, my foundation augments. My foundation are putting a lot of money also in the constituency.”