Former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor
Kalu, has said he gave ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo N100m to run his
campaign in 1999.
He said he gave another N100m to the Peoples Democratic Party prior to the 1999 elections.
The former governor said this as ‘Guest of the Week’ on a Kaduna-based Liberty FM radio programme on Saturday.
He said, “I made millions before joining
politics. I was doing business between Maiduguri and the East. I
carried fish from Maiduguri to the East and palm oil from the East to
Maiduguri. So, I had money and invested so much in the PDP.
“If the party is a company, I would have
been a major shareholder. I and (Saminu) Turaki spent more on the
party than any other Nigerian. How much did (President Goodluck)
Jonathan have before he became the President? I was the first to give
the party N100m to register. I was also the first to give Obasanjo N100m
to campaign during the 1999 election.”
On the frosty relationship between him
and Obasanjo, Kalu said things fell apart between him and the former
leader when he discovered that Obasanjo was deceiving Nigerians.
Kalu said, “I fell apart with Obasanjo
on the issue of third term. He wanted to be a life President. Nobody can
tell me that Obasanjo was not interested in a third term. Huge money
was involved in the project. Two senators from my state came with the
money and I asked them to return it.
“It was the then President of America,
George Bush, who genuinely derailed the third term agenda. I told Bush
about it and that is why Obasanjo hates me. Bush told him that it was
not possible in a constitutional democracy. I try to avoid him
(Obasanjo) at public functions.”
On the 2015 election, Kalu said, “People should stop imposing the President on Nigerians. Let the people chose their President.
“Igbo are going to vote for Igbo in
2015. Jonathan has the constitutional right to run but he is not an Igbo
man. There are many qualified Igbo men. I am not saying I’m running for
President now but there are possibilities that other Igbo men are
thinking about that. Northerners should support us for the presidency in
2015 because we supported (Shehu) Shagari. We supported (Umaru)
Yar’Adau, (Yakubu) Gowon and Tafawa Balewa,” Kalu added.
He said his return to PDP was to give the party a second chance and to see if he could make positive changes in the party.
On the state of emergency declared by
the President on three North-East states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa,
Kalu said the declaration was nothing but a movement of troops from one
place to another, adding that the security chiefs did not advise the
President properly.
He said the President should have
allowed the amnesty committee to work for at least three months before
declaring the state of emergency.
The former governor said, “I am for
amnesty. The President should have allowed the amnesty committee at
least three months. He shouldn’t have made any announcement. There is
nothing like state of emergency but just a movement of troops. Jonathan
is not that wicked to be playing politics with human life. Let’s remove
politics or 2015 from this thing.”
However, Obasanjo’s Media Assistant,
Vitalis Ortese, said the former President would not join issues with
“Kalu who has credibility and integrity deficit.”
He said, “This is a man who is known to
have stuffed paper as money in a bag and donated it at a public function
in Maiduguri. He has no credibility and integrity. So, we will not like
to join issues with him.
“He is only trying to cover his lack of
credibility by seeking to join issues with someone, who clearly is not
in his level or class. He is only seeking relevance. Good luck to him.”
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The media assistant to the former president has said it all. The man Kalu is a big joke, a big fraud and a disgrace to his Igbo tribe and the nation. No sensible person will take him serious! See what he did to Abia in his 8 locust years as their leader. He literally bought the governorship and messed up the opportunity to write his name in gold! He should be rotting in jail if our judicial system was working as it should! He is shameless just like James Ibori, Faruk Lawal, Bode Gorge etc! He should give us a break and go into political hibernation, instead of prancing about and exposing his disgusting fraudulent personality!
ReplyDeleteOrji no doubt is our Man but let him embrace todays positioning. We are 4 Jonathan come 2015
ReplyDeleteOrji no doubt is our Man but let him embrace todays positioning. We are 4 Jonathan come 2015
ReplyDeleteOrji is sick
ReplyDeleteMay God punish whoeva is giving money to get to a post, this shows u ain't a gud leader u re all liars. There are pple dere who are looking for jobs, dey re pple who dnt have 100naira, why don't u giv d money to d less privilege pple, u all are muppet. Millions of graduate without a job, some drop out of institution when dey can't cope. Mr president Jonathan we regret voting you in. The qtn now is who to trust? U wil all die to a disease dat can't be cured, fools
ReplyDeleteEhn ehn!Mr ex governor,Orji,you asked the northerners to support the Igbos for 2015 presidential election.You never asked for the west to support you and by the way president Jonathan has constitutional right to contest.Stop playing politics with the life of the people.Boko Haram said they dont want amnesty.They rejected it and you are aware.Should the president fold his arms and watch Boko Haram destroy the entire north?The president is right declaring a state of emergency.You cant deceive us.
ReplyDeleteIf truly the money u are giving to party was made from trading in fish and palm oil. You will not be spending like a drunken sailor. The money was stolen from nigeria state through proxy procurement of contract from govt. Contract that would never be executed. The judgement day is coming when u will be exposed and face firing squad. Because your corruption is equivalent to murdering nigeria. You have stolen money meant for schools, hospital, road, power, security etc. Nigerians are dying everyday because of your actions. I bet u, u will soon face firing squad very soon.
ReplyDeleteU gave OBJ N100m for 1999 elections. And so wat?
ReplyDeleteNigeria has too many problems. Corruption is making the politicians and our leaders not to know what to do. They are confused. See how N200m got to the drains in the name of politics from what Orji-Uzor Kalu said. What can we produce in Nigeria technologically or scientifically? That money could have been gainfully employed for meaningful researches and production of valuable goods. But it was used in politics just to make sure they have political power to perpetuate corruption. That is why our graduates are languishing in hunger. The richest people today are those in politics many of whom are criminals and killers. Until we come back to think of real development, Nigeria will remain as it is today. Let the leaders search for those who have the talents or gifts to produce or manufacture goods.
ReplyDeleteChukwura, who is your man in 2015? Do you have sense at all? Your write up is like somebody who programmed to talk. Learn to have a mind of your own. NONSENSE!
ReplyDeleteOUK, you should stop seeking cheap popularity. You are not a man of integrity. You should live in isolation and shame after the ruin you did to our beloved state and my kinsmen (NGWA)
ReplyDelete