Orji Kalu loses senatorial election in Abia

A former governor of Abia State and Abia North senatorial candidate for the Progressive Peoples Alliance, Orji Kalu, came a distant third as the Independent National Electoral Commission, on Thursday, released the complete results of the March 28 National Assembly polls in the state.

In a comprehensive result sheet made available to our correspondent by the Public Relations Officer of INEC in Abia State, Edwin Inabor, Kalu came a distant third behind Mao Ohuabunwa of the Peoples Democratic Party and David Ogba of the All Progressives Grand Alliance.

Ohuabunwa secured 40,027 votes to win the elections, ahead of David Ogba of APGA who got 28, 055 votes and Kalu with 27, 002 votes.

However, the PPA, the APC and APGA, have before now contested the possible outcome of the results, alleging widespread manipulation and rigging.

Kalu, who had previously claimed victory in the polls, had in a petition to INEC dated March 29, 2015 alleged flagrant breach of Electoral Act 2010 in the conduct of the elections.

The petition, which was signed by Peter Njoku, and copied to the INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, rejected the possible outcome of the election on the grounds of failure of card readers, intimidation, and harassment of voters, snatching of ballot boxes, delay in the announcement of results at the various polling units, and gross mutilation of result sheets.

It also demanded the cancellation of the exercise and called for a re-run.

The petition read in part, “In the light of the above highlighted, we demand the outright cancellation of the elections and order a re-run of the exercise as allowing the outcome of the election will amount to daylight robbery of the people’s right to choose the representatives of their choice.”

Results for the federal constituencies were also released and the PDP won all federal constituency seats, except Aba North and South federal constituencies which were won by APGA.

Inabor refused to entertain questions on the issues surrounding the results, but our correspondent gathered that some of the results have been undergoing reviews because of the avalanche of complaints received by the commission concerning the exercise.

Orji Kalu loses senatorial election in Abia

Kalu betrayed Ndigbo -Abia Commissioner

The Abia State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Eze Chikamnayo, has accused a former Governor of the state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, of betraying Ndigbo in 1999 when he suddenly sabotaged the Presidential ambition of Chief Alex Ekwueme who was at the verge of clinching the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Chikamnayo who made the allegation yesterday at a world press conference in Umuahia said the former governor did not have the moral integrity to parade himself now as a mouthpiece for Ndigbo.

The Commissioner who was reacting to alleged “serial media attacks on Abia government by Kalu”, said the ex-governor was only jealous of the towering achievements of incumbent Gov. Theodore Orji, hence his resolve to blackmail him through publication of falsehood.

He accused Kalu of using his media outfit to malign the office and person of the incumbent who he said had dwarfed Kalu’s “self- acclaimed achievements” in office.

Chikamnayo said none of the roads Kalu claimed to have built in Abia while in office could survive till date less than eight years he left office, arguing that any durable road has at least a life span of 10 years.

He challenged Kalu to publish any three structures he erected in Umuahia the state capital while he was governor, vowing to resign his appointment as Commissioner if the ex-governor can prove him wrong.

Chikamnayo lamented that whereas Kalu ruled Abia from a rented apartment as Government House, the ex-governor, he alleged, at the same time built with state funds a private country home on over two kilometers of land in his Igbere community.

He said, “Abia became poorer while Kalu and his family were getting richer during his tenure as governor.”

He argued that his only grouse against the incumbent is that he has refused to allow him (Kalu) access to Abia treasury.

Corroborating this position, former Commissioner for Information who also served under Kalu, Chief Anthony Agbazuere, said while the ex-governor “received support by coercion, the incumbent receives support by volition because he is sincere to the people.”

He warned Kalu to stop disparaging his successor but to show respect to the exalted office of the governor otherwise, he would be inviting the wrath of Abia masses “whose governor he is insulting”.

He said, “Kalu is not the only former governor in Nigeria. Former governor of Enugu State, Chimarokee Nnamani is not insulting Sullivan Chime, neither is former Ebonyi State Governor fighting his successor.”

Adding his voice, Commissioner for Petroleum, and former Adviser to Kalu, Chief Don Ubani said, “Kalu was being driven by the apprehension of the reality of failure.”

He said Kalu who allegedly boasted that no Ukaw/ Ngwa person would ever become governor of the state was only obsessed by Orji’s commitment to handing over power to a successor of Ukwa/ Ngwa extraction in 2015, a feat which Kalu had vigorously resisted.

Ubani expressed surprise that “Kalu who had the opportunity to transform Abia for eight years he was in charge but did not, suddenly turned around to champion media war against his successor who has by his excellent performances made mockery of Kalu’s tenure”.

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Kalu betrayed Ndigbo -Abia Commissioner

Abia State Governor"s son, Chinedu Orji sues The Sun Newspaper for N5bn

The first son of Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, Chinedu Orji , an Engineer, has sued the Sun Newspapers owned by the former Governor of the State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, claiming N5 billion damages for calling him “a terrorist.”

Abia state govenor

Briefing journalists yesterday in Umuahia, a member of the legal team for Orji’s son, Chief Chukwunyere Nwabuko, said the libelous publication was contained “on page 21 of the March 10, 2014 edition of The Sun Newspapers which read that ‘it is not a secrete affair as his terrorist activities in the state are fully documented.’”

The Council said the former Governor had been using his media outfit to publish malicious and libelous articles against Orji as well as “his son who does not even hold any position in government.”

He gave the suit number of the case filled at Abia State High Court holding at Ohafia as HOH/5/2014, adding that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Livy Uzorukwu is the lead counsel of Orji’s legal team.

Three-point claims by the plaintiff include: “The sum of N5,000,000,000 as damages for libel; An unreserved apology to be published in at least three editions of the Daily Sun Newspapers; and An Order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, privies, servants and associates from further writing, printing, and publishing of the said libelous matter or a similar one against the claimant.

Nwabuko further said that the Presiding Judge, Justice Anthony Chioma had already granted an order for the defendant to be served out of jurisdiction, adding that the matter is coming up for hearing on September, 22.

 

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Abia State Governor"s son, Chinedu Orji sues The Sun Newspaper for N5bn

Boko Haram motivated by people who hate Jonathan - Kalu

A former Governor of Abia state, Orji Kalu, has alleged that Boko Haram is politically motivated.

Orji Uzor Kalu

Fielding questions from journalists at the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja on Tuesday, Kalu said insurgency would be defeated.

He said, “The insurgency is politically motivated because there is no other thing to do.

“It is instigated by people who do not want President Jonathan to be president.’’

He called on such persons to make the sacrifice of allowing President Jonathan complete his second tenure in office to move the country forward.

Kalu said that, though he defected to the opposition party in the past, he was now a full member of the PDP, adding that in spite of insinuations, he remains an asset to the party and the country.

He pledged his loyalty to the PDP national leadership and expressed optimism that the party would remain in power after 2015.

He said, “How can the PDP lose the presidency when it has people like us who are very popular and creating jobs every day, I do not see how PDP will loose the election in 2015.

“Democracy is not about one person or President Jonathan, we have to bring our efforts together so as to move democracy forward.

“President Jonathan is doing everything possible to bring the Chibok girls’ back. We must thank our military men for the job they are doing.

“Insurgency is a new thing to us. Insurgency is politically motivated and it is the people who think Jonathan should not contest the 2015 that are behind it. They should allow him to finish his tenure.”

Speaking on his relationship with the present governor of Abia state, Theodore Orji, Kalu said “T.A Orji is a great asset to the country.”

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Boko Haram motivated by people who hate Jonathan - Kalu

Boko Haram’s blackmail’ll not stop Jonathan in 2015, says Kalu

Former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has said that despite several attempts to use the activities of Boko Haram to blackmail President Goodluck Jonathan to give up his presidential ambition to contest 2015 elections, he would run for the office.

Orji Uzor Kalu

Kalu, who made the declaration in an interview with newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos, shortly on arrival from London, noted that he would give his full support to President Jonathan.

He stressed that he believed that other members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would also do same.

According to him, no other PDP candidate will run for the Presidency in 2015.

“President Goodluck Jonathan is a sole candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Already, Chief Tony Anenih declared that Jonathan will run and as a conscience of the party, being the Chairman of Board of Trustees of PDP, he has already endorsed President Jonathan and we will all align to support him. So there is nobody in PDP that will be running for presidency come 2015,” Kalu said.

He affirmed that Boko Haram had always been politically motivated to thwart the efforts of the Federal Government, but noted that under the new movement, the sect would be completely wiped out.

To him, the bombing and killing of innocent souls and the kidnapping of over 200 Chibok school girls were all attempts to blackmail the Federal Government into submission.

“Let me tell you, Boko Haram has always been political and will remain political and it is people that hate President Jonathan.

“Luckily, Boko Haram will be taken care of; I am sure with the new movement, the girls that they are looking for will be seen and people will be able to calm down. In fact, I cry every night for those girls and I pray for them, innocent girls that have not been seen.

“It is a total blackmail and that will not stop Jonathan from running. I cry for those families; there are tragedies all over the world, Nigeria is not an exception. And Chief Anenih has already said that Jonathan is going to run and I align myself with it.

“I will support him fully to run, four years in a life of a country means nothing, so all PDP candidates should step down for him to run.”

On the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria, the former Abia State governor said he was impressed with the manner the government was tackling the issue, stressing that the disease had been in existence since 1976.

He alleged that since the disease was the hype of the West, it should find solutions to it immediately.

”The Federal Government, from what the Minister of Health is doing, you can see that the minister has come positively in attacking it and they have taken the right steps.”

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Boko Haram’s blackmail’ll not stop Jonathan in 2015, says Kalu

I"ll never forget what Obasanjo did to my business empire - Kalu

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

Chief Orji Kalu, a former governor of Abia State has said yesterday that he has forgiven the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo despite his plans against his business during his time as President.

Orji Uzor Kalu

Kalu made the disclosure when he spoke to newsmen in Makurdi, the Benue State Capital, though he said he has forgiven him, but added that he will never forget what Obasanjo did to his business empire.

He said, “I have forgiven Obasanjo but I have not forgotten what he did to my businesses because those businesses employed many Nigerians who he rendered jobless.

”He shouldn’t have targeted my business when our differences and the issue at stake was nothing but political.

 

I"ll never forget what Obasanjo did to my business empire - Kalu

Jonathan wrong in giving ‘no go areas’ to conference, says Kalu

Former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday faulted the directive by President Goodluck Jonathan that delegates at the ongoing conference that discussions about the divisibility of Nigeria is a “no go area.”

Orji Uzor Kalu

Kalu said the delegates should not be restricted on areas they want to talk about, adding that this is the first time in a long while Nigerians will have an opportunity to examine all issues agitating their minds about the country.

Speaking at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on arrival from London yesterday, Kalu said the delegates should be free to discuss everything about Nigeria and its many challenges without any restrictions. The former governor said setting restrictions for the delegates will not bring about enduring unity for the country.

He said, “Mr. President was wrong on that occasion. There should not be “no go area” in the discussion of Nigeria’s unity. It is those things that will strengthen the unity of the country. We have fought one civil war and we can never fight the second civil war; no country goes for civil war twice and survives it. So I believe Mr. President did not think aloud or the adviser did not advise him well. They (conference delegates) should discuss everything, including the unity of the country. It helps the country to become one unified country.”

According to Kalu, the conference has given Nigerians the opportunity to discuss their problems, to discuss their sentiments, to discuss their belief in the country, adding that the conference is a good and unique opportunity for us to discuss all the national issues. “If we don’t discuss, we will be bearing anger. But when we discuss, we will be able to understand. I want to tell members of the national confab that they should discuss everything, including the unity of Nigeria. Nigeria will not break. We Igbos, we have decided that we are not breaking to anywhere because it will be a disadvantage to Nigeria for Nigeria to break.

You see the European Union is coming together. America is acquiring more entity to become Northern America and everybody is coming together. So Nigeria is not going to break but let them discuss the issues that are making us not to have this unity.”

Commenting on the recent attack on the State Security Services complex known in Abuja close to the Presidential Villa when members of the dreaded Boko Haram attempted a jail break, Dr. Kalu said that the Federal Government could have gotten idea of the attack if it had invested in intelligence gathering. He noted that the recurring attack by members of the sect could be eradicated if the government had a team in place that gathers intelligence on the group in order to foil their plans, instead of using the options of fighting them with guns.

Said he, “I think the Federal Government should invest more on intelligence gathering, which I have been saying. Intelligence gathering is more important than men carrying guns on the road. It is just like some policemen in Abia State breaching the journalists’ rights by arresting some journalists on their fundamental human right of writing. The commissioner of police in Abia is like a savage as far as I am concerned because he does not understand what the constitution is all about. The Inspector General of Police understands the laws of this country and understands that journalists have right of existence. So I want to warn that police commissioner in Abia; I am appealing to Mr. President to have a second look on that commissioner in Abia before they will have another Mbu in Abia State.”

Jonathan wrong in giving ‘no go areas’ to conference, says Kalu