WHY I AM AT WAR WITH ABIA STATE GOVERNOR, THEODORE ORJI- ORJI UZOR KALU

Orji Uzor Kalu

 As part of the account of my steward-ship as the governor of Abia State (1999-2007), I have decided to do a two-part series on the real cause of the rift between the incumbent governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, and myself. This has become necessary since the governor has failed to respond to the chal-lenge I gave him some weeks ago to openly tell the world what I did to him to make him hate me with so much venom – to the extent of working consciously and conscientiously to destroy me. From whatever conceivable angle one may look at the challenge, the governor’s procrastina­tion in responding to it simply means he has no justifiable reason to fight me. It also shows that the governor has, all along, been on ego-tripping, which is stoked by envy and greed. Since 2009, till date, the governor has engaged in an

Gov T.A. Orji

orchestrated campaign of calumny against me and anybody connected to me in any way. He has concocted and told all kinds of lies against me – all in an effort to paint me black before the pub­lic. His best pastime has always been discussing me. He goes about telling, whoever cares to listen, damaging stories about me. Deep inside his heart he knows that all the negative things he has said about me are not true. Before now he used to run to Aso Rock eve­ryday to peddle rumours against me, in order to curry favour. He used to tell the First Family that I hated President Jonathan with endemics. Curious­ly, latter events have since put a lie to this brand of falsehood. What other tricks does he have under his sleeves to play on the First Family now they have known his antics? Anybody who knows me would tell that I am a faithful person: I stand religiously by agree­ments and do not sell out cheaply. That was why I handed over to him as governor despite the open opposition to his choice. If the governor were in my shoes I knew he would find it difficult to give power to me if told the kind of obnoxious and nas­ty things people came to tell me about him. My response to such people was that nothing would make me change my mind about his choice as my successor, because I am a man of my word. I still challenge the governor to tell the world what I did to him that made him, one, jump ship; two, declare war against me; three, embark on ceaseless campaigns in the media against me; four, run a government that cares not for the peo­ple; five, hate our people too much; six, encourage corruption in his government; seven, tell lies with ease; and eight, think that his sins will not find him out at the end of his tenure. He must give reason­able answers to these posers if he still owes any allegiance to the people. Let me refresh the governor’s memory about our first ever meeting in 2009 – 18 months into his first tenure as governor. I had told him on phone that I requested the meeting to discuss a matter of urgent importance. I also requested his approval to allow Ambassador Sam Nkire to witness the meeting, to which he concurred. On the day of the meeting, I asked the governor three basic ques­tions: First, have I ever asked you for money since you assumed office as governor? His answer: No. Second, have I ever asked you to give any con­tract to me or anybody related to me? His answer: No. Third, have I ever asked you to do a favour to anybody, directly or indirectly? His answer: No. Satisfied that he understood my questions very well, I now went for the clincher. I told the gover­nor pointblank that the people were complaining about his poor performance in office and, there­fore, should buckle up. I also told me that I hear he borrowed a huge amount from some banks in the state without anything on ground to justify it. I saw the disbelief in his face, but I was determined to tell him the truth. I also told him that the way he was going he would not get a second term. This probably was the biggest shock of his life. In his response, he denied taking any loan from any banks (even when the evidence was glaring). I was shocked. From that day onwards, his attitude changed. He started courting strange friends and associ­ates, distancing himself from me and leaders of our party. He did other odious things I would not want to discuss here for strategic reasons. As if to tell the whole world that he was now his own man, he started romancing other political parties. And in less than two months, after the encounter with him, he had defected to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), after promising the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu that he would never abandon APGA after Ojukwu had expressed reservation about his loyalty to the party. What happened? In less than two months in APGA, he defected to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). What does this tell you, the reader, about the man? As I had written in this page: Theodore Orji lied to me about so many things, which time has begun to unravel. His choice as governor was dependent on the assurances he gave me and leaders of our party that he would re­main loyal and focused in his service to the people of our state. How could I have settled for him as successor if he had shown any sign of disloyalty or dishonesty? He is a smart Alec, a sly pretender, and can deceive anybody with his innocent looks and sweet tongue. For the eight years he was my Chief of Staff, he handled my security vote – duly appropriated, which was all the money I spent as governor. I never dipped my hand into the state’s coffers or did any deal with anybody, including contractors. All those who worked under me did so with free hands. I challenge anybody who can produce any evidence that I did any deal with him, while in of­fice as governor, to come forward with it. I am a very straightforward and respectful per­son. I do not engage in anything that would call my reputation to question. Throughout my ten­ure as governor, I ensured probity, transparency and accountability. Our administration almost succeeded in routing corruption. Even the civil servants, who know every thieving governor and government officials, can attest to that. Unknown to the governor, I have very strong evidence against him about all that transpired between us throughout the period we worked together, including the meeting in question. Am­bassador Sam Nkire, who witnessed the meeting, is still alive. I will reveal the evidence at the ap­propriate time. When that happens, his lies will fail him. Let me also state here that all the discussions I had with him concerning money, while in office as governor, are with me in evidence. If he can tell the truth he will agree that he did many things wrong as my Chief of Staff, including tardiness in the handling of my security vote, but I still ac­commodated him. Let me leave that for now, until such a time it will become necessary to ask further questions. I accept culpability for choosing him as my successor after all, it was the proper thing to do at the time. Some people have blamed me for be­ing instrumental in making him governor. I do not have any regrets, because I do not cry over spilt milk. Let me place it on record, nonetheless, that one man vehemently opposed his choice and confronted me with it. And that person is no less a person than Ambassador Ojo Maduekwe who served as Foreign Affairs Minister under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s government. We met at Heathrow Airport, on a British Airways flight coming from London to Nigeria. He was in company with Hon. Bature, then Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Rep­resentatives. Ojo told me without mincing words that the greatest disservice I did to him and Abia people was to make Theodore Orji governor. He looked every inch serious and his countenance showed it. Where is Ojo Maduekwe today? He is galli­vanting with the governor and singing his praise. Incredible! I need not state that I am disappointed with Ojo Maduekwe for not calling the governor to order to save him and our state from perdition. What I wish to draw attention to is the double-standard of the governor. He hobnobs with shady characters and uses state resources to fight wars he knows he cannot win and will never win. How on earth is the governor going to defend his wickedness towards me after I had stepped on many toes to make him governor? I have searched my conscience and do not see any other reason the man is bitter with me other than that I told him the truth. Did I do anything wrong by asking him to work for our people, whom he has continued to neglect unconscionably? The seven and half years he has ruled as governor has been one big tragedy. The people are gnashing their teeth and searching for a redeemer. Yet he is not moved one bit by the monumental absence of government in the state. I am compelled to ask again: where are Abia Elders? Where are those who are supposed to speak up against the ills in our state? Where are Prof. Joe Irukwu, Dr. Herbert Orji, Ambassador Empire Kanu, Dr. Anagha Ezikpe, Prof S.O. Igwe, Prof. Anya O.Anya, Chukwu Nwachuku, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Senator Chris Adighije, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, General Ike Nwachuk­wu (retd.), Prof. Ihechukwu Madubuike, Chief Emma Adiele, Chief Emma Adaelu, Chief Allen Nwachukwu, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Chief Mao Ohuabunwa, Chief Kalu Uke Kalu, Prof. Joshua Ogbonnaya, Chief Tony Ukasanya, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, retired and serving top military and police brasses, our representatives in the state and Federal Houses, our senators, board members of federal parastatal agencies, the clergy, tradi­tional rulers, and other highly-placed Abians in Nigeria and the Diaspora? Why have they failed Abia people by refusing to speak up against the evils of this administration? I have known Dr. Herbert Orji for many years – as far back as 1984. We had always had a warm relationship, which later extended to our businesses. In short, he was the man that handled most of my financial transactions in my early days in business. It is on record that he was the one who led me to open the account I have with Goldman and Sachs in London as far back as 1984. He was also instrumental as the Managing Direc­tor of Progress Bank in packaging a loan to our company, Slok, to build a vegetable oil factory at Ugwunagbo (near Aba in Abia State) in 1986, for which I was recognised with a national honour of Member Order of the Niger (MON). We repaid the loan fully. Let me, however, point out that it is the same Goldman Sachs’ that former President Olusegun directed the then Chairman of the Eco­nomic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Nuhu Ribadu, to investigate. Obasanjo went as far as asking the British authorities to freeze the account. But the British authorities told him that investigations conducted by them did not see any illegality with the account; therefore, they did not have any moral right to close the account, which had been on blind trust immediately I assumed of­fice as governor. What of Prof. Joe Irukwu? He was the chair­man of FIB International Bank, The Gambia. I own 90 per cent in the bank. As for Empire Kanu, he is my buddy and we stayed together for many years. Where are these men today? They are hob­nobbing with the governor and pretending all is well. They even lack the courage to look the governor straight in the eye and call him to order. They could not do so, probably, because they have mortgaged their conscience for a mess of portage or afraid to be harmed by the rampaging thugs of the governor and his overbearing son. Some of these thugs have been made local government chairmen as a way of prodding them to commit more atrocities under the guise of officialdom. The only great Abian that made effort to con­tact me since the crisis between me and the gov­ernor ensued was a top Navy man. He had invited me to try to mediate a truce. I will mention his name in future when the time is auspicious. No other elder from Abia State has waded into the matter. I had expected them to at least invite me to get my own side of the story, instead of acting only on what the governor told them. Our elders know that they are following the governor blindly. Were some of them not the same people that criticised my administration unrelentingly? Why have they suddenly become indifferent and allowed the governor toy with the lives of our people? They have allowed their conscience to be consumed by greed and covet­ousness. Do our elders not say that the she goat cannot be allowed to deliver on tethers? Sadly, our elders like licking soup prepared with pork when they openly resent pork. They seem to have un­derestimated the strength of the people’s will by carrying on their marriage of convenience with the governor. Do they not think it is better to ensue the matter is settled now before the people’s anger overflows? When it does it will be disastrous. I will discuss the roles the clergy played in my administration and give the names of more elders who dine and wine with the governor, while their houses are on fire.