Everest Ezeihe || Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, former Executive Governor of Abia State has insisted he is not interested in being the leader of Igbo ethnic nationality because he does not have the patience to withstand all the excess of the ethnic group.
Kalu repeatedly said this in his ancestral compound in Igbere in Bende Council Area of Abia state when the delegates of Ogbako-Igbo WhatsApp Forum led by Dr. Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe held their inaugural cum seminar at one of the parlours of the ancestral architectural splendor with the theme “Rebuild The Igbo Nation Through Strong Political Leadership” and was presented BY Prof. Nathan Uzoma Protus of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Orji Kalu with IPOB Leader
The former Governor who insisted that he has been consistent in fighting against the marginalization of the ethnic group pointed out that he is one Igbo man highly bruised because of his stand for Ethnic Nationality.
He recalled that during his era as Governor, he was the only one that fought the then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for his tactical and deliberate refusal to rehabilitate all the Federal roads in the south East and the few he accepted he awarded the contracts to a low profile and inexperienced construction company and unfortunately instead of some of his Igbo Governor’s Colleague supporting the course, they were using him to gossip at the Presidential Villa and at the detriment of the ethnic group interest.
The astute politician lamented that “Igbos and their political leadership are nightmares; my people are not good politicians because they don’t understand that the dynamics of politics is give me this and take this.”
Kalu further informed that he has been in opposition for over ten years starting from 2003 and he did not join All Progressives Congress (APC) because of his personal relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari but due to his personal conviction that the party means well to Ndigbo and Nigerians in general.
He noted Igbo Ethnic nationality as being a problem unto itself and identified the major problem of the ethnic group as envy, greed, jealousness and betrayal.
The Business Mogul also reveal how in 1994 he bought over 70% shares of Hallmark Bank Plc and alleged that out of share wickedness and vindictiveness of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who during his era as president strangulated and withdraw the bank operational license and that of Slok Airline just to witch hunt him and unfortunately nobody seems to condemn such evil.
Kalu who further said that “history will always forgive him for sticking to the truth” also disclosed how in 1998 during the formation of PDP in his Victoria Island residence he doled out N500M to the party free and another N100M to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for his Presidential ticket ambition when Obasanjo could not offer a dime for the presidential race.
He informed that during his era as an Executive Governor of Abia State he never have access to the state fund for disbursement except for his statutory security vote which he said was utilized efficiently and effectively for the maintenance of the security agencies in the State.
The former governor said that every other money was in total control by Chief T.A Orji who was his then Chief of Staff.
Kalu emphatically stated that from the depth of his heart, he has genuinely forgiven all those who offended him no matter the gravity of the offence, according to him “I even forgive people before they commit the offence because I don’t want my soul or heart to bear any burden” he stated.
He noted that as a detribalized Igbo man, he employed over made 5,000 teachers from the other South Eastern States and some people outside the State as commissioners and political appointees but expressed regret that his successor Chief T.A Orji gradually sacked the 5,000 teachers, simply because they are not from Abia State.