A former governor of Abia, Dr Orji Kalu, says the return of President Muhammadu Buhari from the United Kingdom on Friday has brought stability into the polity.

Kalu told newsmen in Lagos on Sunday that Nigerians were happy that the president was back in good health.

The president went on vacation to the UK on Jan. 20, and also met with his doctors during the trip before returning on Friday.

Kalu said, “Now that the president is back, I am very happy; we have been praying.

“Both Christians and Muslims have been praying because the country has been so polarised that the fabrics of our nation have been eaten with tribalism and religion.

“So I am very happy that the president is back and I want him to listen to his doctor’s advice and continue to take his medication if any.”

The former governor noted that the president had kept his campaign promise of restoring peace to the North Eastern part of the country, which had been facing insurrection from the Boko Haram sect.

“I know that the president has done well in the area of defence and pursuing Boko Haram; I congratulate him as Commander in Chief.

“I also praise the service chiefs – the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Air Staff and the Inspector General of Police as well as the Director of State Service for their backup operation on Boko Haram,’’ he said.

He, however, called on the government to intensify efforts towards improving the economic situation in the country.

“Buhari took over when there were a lot of doubts in the economy; he took over when the oil prices went down sharply.

“And whenever your expenditure is more than your income, then there is already recession.

“So I am not sure that recession is just going to end so soon.

“I believe now that the president is back, he should be able to fine-tune the economic team and put some recovery policies in place.”

He advised the economic team to be more serious, out looking and no to take anything for granted.

“The most important thing government should look into is the issue of electricity and internal security.

“Internal security and electricity are the engine room that drives development and the future of any country.

“I believe these things can be done,’’ Kalu said.

He also commiserated with the families of Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo, former governor of the Old Western Region and Brig.-Gen. Samuel Ogbemudia, former governor of the defunct Bendel State, who passed on recently.

Kalu said their wealth of experience would be greatly missed by the country and he prayed God to grant them eternal rest.

Kalu, formerly a staunch member the Peoples’ Democratic Party, on Wednesday, November 16, 2016, defected to the ruling APC.

The former governor had told the gathering that he joined the APC to help “diffuse tensions that the party is an ethnic or religious contraption”.

(NAN)

Punchng