Chigbu Nwogu, Umuahia
I often wonder why Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu would in his usual wild imagination always conjure the picture of our dear State, Abia, as his personal estate; one that he will continue to run as he and his family wish till eternity. From this man, we have since seen the truism that, the more things and people Change, the more they remain the same! As an Abian, I witnessed the 8 inglorious years of a young and energetic Kalu, who, because of his youthful zest and brun many had thought would have done things differently from what he did that brought us to where we are today as a State.
For so many commentators and followers of Abia politics, the current Senate Chief Whip, Sen. Kalu, brought us to the foot-dragging and limiting morass that our dear State has been steeped in these past twenty-one years of the 4th Republic democratic experience. But, despite this generally acknowledged reality, the Emperor of Igbere Empire continues to parade himself across the hapless State like he is the next best thing to have happened to the State after the discovery of penicillin!
It is on record that Kalu bequeathed to his successor a most impoverished State that was, equally, chocking under the strangle hold of high indebtedness and unexisting rural and urban infrastructure. We are surprised that in spite of the gargantuan heist he foisted on the Abia commonwealth in those eight wasteful years, the EFCC would only arraign him for a paltry 7 Billion Naira moved directly from State coffers into his company till. This has continued to force inquiries on the whereabouts of other funds stolen from contracts paid for, but never executed, from over- invoicing and monies paid as staff claims that never got into the hands of such staff, including several other official infractions.
Despite all of these, he still midwived the back-to-back leadership successions that he has through bogus demands arising from his unbridled greed continued to ensure they have not performed past poor in a State that had promised enormous viability at its creation 29 odd years ago. May I categorically state here that Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu lives in self adulation and self-denial. He sees himself as faultless, all- knowing and can do anything he wants in a State that he considers to be his. He prefers mediocrity to sound minds and those who will be perpetually tied to his shoe laces to anyone who exhibits any stretch of liberty or expresses the ability to be able to think for themselves. This was the reason he made an ” okada” rider a Local Council Transition Chairman in Abia State as Governor. The man would go on to become a Commissioner under him, a promotional privilege the few that were well- educated and far more urbane among his so-called boys then who, equally, manned the LGAs at the time hardly enjoyed,. How could they have when Kalu does not want anyone around him who can ever measure up to him in intelligence, not to talk of having a mind of their own on other matters of life.
That is the depth of low self- perception of a man who has perpetually sworn to lead Abia in a kind of leadership that is headed for nowhere but the grave! It is the same practice of foistering mediocrity over excellence that he has set out to continue to perpetrate in Abia State where he has perfected what he thinks is a grand plan and design to bring one of his younger brothers, who since his, equally, inglorious ouster from the seat of Chief of Staff in the T.A Orji Administration has lost every election he has stood for, as Governor in Abia State in 2023. But untested and largely green with Kalu name as an impeding baggage, Mascot will, definitely, be a hard sale to Abia people. Kalu has so soon forgotten that Mascot’s ambition to go to the House of Representatives was considered dead-on-arrival in Aba Federal Constituency the first time he entered that contest! Now that he feels he has rediscovered his winning powers since spending time in prison as another Mandela, he wants to dare the impossible, try the unusual and hoodwink our people once again.
According to those close to him, even as a man who has a matter pending in court, which could return him to the dock soon; a man whom God showed mercy to win the Senate after trying for 12 years and one that narrowly escaped 12yrs in prison because of the lacuna of a Judge, Kalu feels he still has the face, the popularity and his usual abracadabra to play God in Abia State. This is a man that has lost a lot of friends to this pandemic since its outbreak. One would have thought that Orji Uzor Kalu would have learnt better.
Recently, he held a secret meeting to use Hon. Acho Obioma (Chomen ), who has never won any election after 1999 brought him in as member House of Representative by sheer providence and luck, and our sister, Sen. Nkechi Nwogu, to strengthen his plot of making Mascot, his younger brother the Governor of Abia State come 2023.
In his laughable plan, there is also the game plan to also return the highly illiterate
Hon. Nnanna Kalu, who only put up his hands once to speak at Plenary all the while he was a Lawmaker, to replace the performing Hon. Ossy Prestige of Aba Federal Constituency. While he (Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu) would be Vice Presidential Candidate to Senate President Lawal as Presidential Candidate of the APC from the Northeast Zone! He also plans that, in the event that the Presidential ticket is zoned to Yorubaland, he will become the President of the Senate.
Orji Kalu , definitely, deserves our sympathies. For, if not sickening greed, how can a man be out planning for just his family. We thank God he is not evening insisting to appoint his mother, Lady Eunice Kalu, as a Minister to replace Dr. Uche Ogah, a position he said he has reserved for the woman he refers to as his politcal wife, Hon. Nkiru Onyejiocha. I, equally, sympathise with the National Assembly, House of Representatives Spokesperson, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who happens to be his ally. Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu has perfected plans to also bring in one trader from Owerri, Chioma Iwueze who contested the ticket with Ben Kalu in 2019. He has been heard saying that Hon. Ben Kalu can’t be trusted because he will outshine him (Sen. Kalu) due to the young man’s performance and rise in the politics of the House of Representatives.
You see why I wrote earlier that Sen. Kalu prefers mediocrity over excellence. His plan,I recently, learnt also includes bringing one Lilian Obenwa Igolo, a tailor in Owerri to replace Onyejiocha. Although we know of a truth that she is due for change the manner and quality of the person Orji wants to use to effect that change is sickening and beggars belief. For one you call your political wife who has put in four presumably great tenures behind her, the best you could offer in her place is a tailor that is also a stranger to Abia politics. Well, Onyejiocha may succumb to the treacherous promise of the Minister to represent Abia State in the Federal Executive Council by 2023. He often refers to Hon. Onyejiocha, as I earlier stated, as his political wife and gives the duo of Chomen and Sen. Nkechi Nwogu the impression that he can always handle Hon. Onyejiocha.
In Abia, every political actor would be wondering what is the recent romance between Acho Obioma(Chomen) and Sen. Kalu. Chomen who is a known hater of Sen. Kalu and has never hidden his disdain for Sen. Kalu anywhere he finds himself has suddenly made a U-turn, I learnt from a close ally to Sen. Kalu has been bought over by Sen. Kalu.
Kalu should know that Abia has not forgotten the Okija Shrine oath era and will never go back to Margreth Avenue to peel melon. Abia has progressed beyond one man’s show. We saw the last with him and his successor. Even his successor, throde better and more carefully on our political turf and consciousness in Abia. Abians will do everything to Stop Mascot from being Governor.
Let us wait for the time to come.
Chigbu Nwogu
Umuahia,Abia State.