Senator-elect for Abia North, Orji Kalu, says he has forgiven his fellow senator-elect, Theodore Orji.
Orji will be representing Abia Central senatorial district while Kalu will be standing in for Abia North senatorial district in the National Assembly.
The duo have been arch-enemies since Orji took over power as Abia governor in 2007.
Shortly after receiving his certificate of return from the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) in Abuja, Kalu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by phone that he had decided to put his differences with Orji aside for the good of the state.
He said: “I have forgiven him (Orji) for the benefit of Abia people and we are going to work as one family in the Senate in the interest of Abia and Nigeria.
“We are going to have a robust relationship in the Senate because the interest of Abia and Abians is uppermost to me.
“There is a lot of work to do for my constituency and we shall work to support the programmes of the Federal Government to ensure they succeed.”
He added that there was no reason why deliberations on the budget take too long.
“The consideration and passage of budget estimates would not exceed three months. Once the president presents the bill in September, by December we would have concluded the consideration.
“By so doing, the budget would be ready by January for the president’s assent,” Kalu said.
He added that during the consideration of the budget, the ministers would be restrained from embarking on overseas trips.
“They must be available during the budget defence. They would not be allowed to travel overseas until the budget is ready,” Kalu said.
