…Declares ‘I’m Not A Thief’
There was drama in an emotion-laden valedictory session at the Senate on Saturday when former Governor of Abia State and Chief Whip of the 9th Senate broke down in tears and declared he’s not a thief.
Kalu who has refused to back down in order to support the candidates his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, announced as its preferred choices for the 10th Senate leadership stood up to speak during the session when he recounted his experience in politics amid tears.
The two times governor of Abia fought back tears, recounting his ordeal in prison at the Kuje Correctional Service declaring in a teary voice, “This country is not fair.”
Recall the senator was convicted of laundering to the tune of N7.1 billion belonging to the Abia State government while he held sway as governor between 1999 and 2007.
He was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alongside Ude Jones Udeogu, a former director of finance and accountant in the state during his administration, on 36 counts of money laundering.
He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment on December 5, 2019, while Udeogu got a 10-year sentence.
But the Supreme Court later nullified the trial and ordered for a retrial. This was after they had spent months in prison.
Kalu returned to the Senate and took part in a plenary which ended on Saturday.
Providing an insight of his time in politics, Kalu, whose election in the February 25 Senatorial Election is a subject of litigation said, “Before I came into politics, I could buy anything money can buy. I’m not a thief,” he said in tears.
“Those that put me in prison know the reason. They took over my businesses and wanted to kill me yet I survived it and I’m in the senate with you,” he said.
Speaking of his background, he revealed that, “I have never lacked, while I was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where I served for two terms as governor, I brought the money that they used in forming that party, every penny, in 1997 and 1998, and I later became a thief.
“People I gave transport money from my house in VI became agents. This is what Nigeria represents. Thank you for giving me these four years of uninterrupted support.
“This country is not fair.”
