Senate Chief Whip and former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, has pointed at a conspiracy between the media and his political enemies for the criminal charges against him which he claims were being raised to frustrate his 2023 presidential aspiration.
Speaking in an interview, he, however, refused to discuss the conspiracy or the subject matter of the N7.1 billion money laundering and theft allegations raised against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC insisting that they were subject of the court.
“Apart from the gang-up to put me in prison, I don’t have any record anywhere. I’m not afraid of anything; I’m only afraid of God. I’m the most prepared presidential aspirant because even if I’m old, I’m young at heart.
The most important thing is the business of unity of the country. I’m not afraid of anybody because I’ve not done any illegal business before,” he boasted.
While speaking on the subject matter on Arise Television, Sen. Kalu categorically denied having any charges of fraud against him.
“I don’t have any charges hanging around me, it is you press that creates what you call charges and I am not supposed to talk about matters in court, because you should know better than what I went to court to do is not ‘charges’ but to ask that some of my assets be released. “That matter is in the court and I would not like to discuss the matter further.
You knew me before 1999. You knew I bankrolled all the money politicians paid during that period in the PDP. So, how can I become a thief suddenly? People are pursuing me because they know I want to be president from day one”.
At this juncture, he refused to say further on the fraud issue, warning Dr Reuben Abati and his colleagues against probing further on a matter before a court of competent jurisdiction.
Who exactly are those pursuing the former governor of Abia State and for what reason or purpose? “They are Nigerians who want to be president. They are Nigerians who want to set me aside; they just want to destroy me. There’s a lot of jealousy in the system- a lot of people who think I became successful at an early age.
The question is, why must I have money and have power. Is life like that?
These people carelessly put me in prison for six months for doing nothing. I’m not bitter about it because it is God’s will and it is our court system that put me in prison.
There were 19 witnesses in the court and nobody called my name or traced anything to me; I don’t want to talk about this matter. Don’t drag me into it”.
