Kalu made the declaration while fielding questions from journalists in Abuja.
He said “The speculation out there as to whether or not I have shown interest to contest for the speakership for the 10th assembly is true.
“Yes, I’m interested in that position. I’m interested in becoming the next speaker of the house of representatives.”
He said that no lawmaker from the south-east has been a speaker in four decades.
Tinubu/Shettima associates constitute council to advice on appointments
“We need to have new members buy into our competence to lead. It is not good for leaders at home to impose (someone) that will lead the members of the parliament without the members having any knowledge about who is coming to lead them.
“I’m bringing on board transformative, and legislative intervention that is based on innovation and it is only people like us who have been equipped that will be able to bridge that gap.”
Kalu stated that he should be compensated with the speakership position as he defended the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, with his life.
“I defended my party, I took bullets for my party, I projected my presidential candidate even when it was like a taboo to do so in the south-eastern region. My office received hundreds of bullets or more because I was preaching APC.
“It is time for a reward. If there is loyalty to the party, loyalty should always be rewarded to stimulate further loyalty. If I stood firm to win for my party in Bende federal constituency, as the only surviving APC house of reps member in the entire Abia state, it means that I have something to offer and I defended my party.
“It is time for my party to let my people know that I didn’t make any mistake by standing by the party. Let them give us what is my due based on my qualification.”
