The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Kalu, has said leaders of the six geopolitical zones convinced him to join the 2023 presidential race despite having told other aspirants that he won’t be contesting for presidency.

He said he had earlier told a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, and former President of the Senate, Anyim Pius Anyim, that he had no intention of running for president in 2023.

Kalu, who spoke during an interview with Silverbird Television on Friday, said he changed his mind after consultations with the leaders from the six geopolitical zones.

This was as he expressed the belief that he had the capacity and experience to turn around the economy of the country and fight insecurity.

He said, “I didn’t want to join this contest before. When I met with Senator Tinubu, I told him I was not running. When I met with Governor Umahi, I told him I was not running. When I also met with Senator Pius Anyim, I told him I wasn’t contesting. A couple of days after my discussion with them, elders from the West, elders from the North, the South-East and Niger Delta came to see me on the 5th of January (2022) and I also went to see a couple of them.

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“I flew from my village to tour some places and I met with some leaders in the North, West and somewhere in Lagos and Warri and I returned on the 8th back to Igbere, my hometown, and also met with the elders of my community and they said that it’s a possibility. That is why I have not gone back to tell these people, who I initially told that I would not run, that I am now going to run. I will still have a meeting with them and tell them formally that I am going to run for the president.”

On media reports that he attacked Tinubu, Kalu stated that they both had a deep-rooted friendship, adding that the presidential ambition of the former governor of Lagos State would not threaten his own.