PDP grants Kalu special waiver

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) has finally granted former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, special waiver, We can authoritatively reveal.

The former Abia State governor is a senatorial aspirant in Abia State.

Checks by Us revealed that Orji Kalu had applied for waiver since January but he was denied by the state chapter of the party.

A source further revealed that the national leadership of the party also directed that the former governor be screened in Abuja in the ongoing screening of National Assembly aspirants.

The source noted that having applied for a waiver since January, it would have amounted to injustice to deny the former governor a chance because, those who applied after him, had since been granted.

It was gathered that the party’s National Working Committee was worried that the intransigence of Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji and the pliable state chapter of the party could undermine the fortunes of PDP in the forthcoming general elections.

Daily Sun source also justified the privilege given to Orji Kalu to be screened in Abuja.

He said: “The NWC has powers to form a special committee. There is no problem about that.

“Why the idea came up, was to avoid any likely breach of the peace between the supporters of the governor and Dr. Kalu.”

Kalu Has Been Vindicated As Court Stops Abia PDP Primaries

The former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu knew it and kept away from little minds in Abia State that were bent on belittling his ambitions. Mind you, Kalu is a man who sees tommorrow before it comes. Kalu is a great spirit that has always encountered violent opposition from mediocre and little minds in Abia State. Kalu has always rated himself the first version of himself, and he is always the first.

Some sycophants in the government of Governor Theodore Orji were calling for his head when he was telling the world of the rot that has characterised his home state of Abia. When he rejoined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sometime in 2012 or so, it could be remembered that the Governor of Abia State, led some stakeholders of the party that comprised some senators from the state to the PDP’s national body in Abuja to stop Kalu from rejoining the party.

But like a very popular man that Kalu always is, their move did not hold waters. The likes of Senators Uche Chukwumereji (Abia North), Nkechi Nwaogu (Abia Central), and Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) were very much in support of the governor to ‘deal’ with Kalu. They were not clairvoyance that what turns around, comes around, as today the same governor they were stooges to have set on a mission to pocket the state PDP and they are now crying wolf, because the current power-sharing formula of the Abia State PDP was not going to favour them, therefore they have turned to petition and letter writers in order for higher authorities in the party to look into the problem in the Abia State PDP.

They are now saying that the authorities should see and regard as illegal the committee that was set up by the state Chairman of the party, Senator Emma Nwaka to overseeing how the party’s primaries are conducted in the state. They are just seeing this today, but several times that Kalu was drawing the attention of the world to the plight, many people had thought that he was a troublemaker, which he is not.

The three senators who have not used their constituencies’ funds judiciously since a decade that some of them are in the House, are not ashamed that they are just seeing the chameleon in the governor. They have gone to cry like kids before the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the party’s National Working Committee to help them; something that Kalu had singlehandedly been fighting and the same senators were among the persons that had been fighting Kalu for always bringing the ills of the governor in the state to the public.

Over allegations that the state chapter of the primaries election committee has compiled a list of names favoured for the forthcoming congresses and primaries for respective elective positions, Senators Uche Chukwumerije, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Nkechi Nwaogu in the petition dated October 28, 2014, and signed by the three lawmakers, challenged that the opus of the party disregarded sections 31 (1), (2, J), (3), 25 (1) of the PDP’s constitution 2012, as amended.

The senators were just waking from sleep, after Governor Orji have used and dumped them. Before it was reported that a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has quashed the committee, Kalu had admonished that nobody should go to that committee for anything, for that would amount to a mere waste of time.

He had hinged his point, saying that Abia people were law abiding, that’s why they were calling on the NWC of the party to look into the illegality that was playing out in Abia State. He drove the nail harder that nobody should arrogate to himself, powers he had not, powers that only belonged to the NWC and it was only that body that would decide who should or should not contest election.

It is a disgrace how some persons can change automatically when some issues do not benefit them like we are seeing in the senators. Kalu would say that where have you seen such committee set up in any of the states of the federation? Why must things be done the wrong way in Abia State? Things will no longer be allowed to go the wrong way in the state.

Kalu had further said that the move by the state PDP had no place in the party’s constitution. In his belief, Kalu had said that the setting up of the committee was a way of telling those who Governor Orji would not want to contest the election, to stay away from the 2015 elections. It was discernible that the Chairman of PDP in the state, Senator Emma Nwaka, had in Umuahia, inaugurated the committee headed by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Umuahia, Charles Ogbonna, Governor Theodore Orji’s cousin.

With a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja stopping the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from going ahead with its plan to conduct ward congress election in Abia State on November 1, it has been justified that Kalu was not raising a false alarm that Governor Orji was out for something odious in the Abia PDP. However, we are watching where this would end.

Rubby Obinna writes from Ohaji, Imo State.

2015: Kalu still in Abia North senatorial race in PDP – Campaign director

Contrary to in­sinuations that former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, is not in the race for Abia North Senatorial District seat, his campaign organisation has said there is no truth in this.
South-East Zonal Coordi­nator of the Peoples Demo­cratic Party (PDP), Colonel Akunobi, was quoted on the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State (BCA) at the weekend, to have said that Kalu had withdrawn from the senatorial election sched­uled for February next year.
Reacting to this, the Di­rector of Orji Uzor Kalu Senatorial Campaign Ogan­isation, Chief Emeka Ohia, stated that the former gov­ernor was not just in the race but is being rooted for by indigenes of the senatorial district.

He stated that Kalu had already obtained nomination form from the PDP and hav­ing filled it, would submit the form on Friday.
“Kalu is very much in the senatorial race. Colonel Aku­nobi is wrong to say that he is not in the race. We have collected the form and will submit it on Friday,” Ohia told Daily Sun.
The campaign director stated that as a member of the PDP, Kalu, who rejoined the party on January 16, 2012, duly obtained the nomina­tion form from the national secretariat, according to the guidelines.
He stated that the former governor would campaign in every nook and cranny of Abia North Senatorial Dis­trict and based on his over­whelming acceptance, he is looking forward to represent­ing the people of the area.
“Yes, Kalu is getting ready for the election. When cam­paign starts, we would visit all areas in Abia North to seek their votes. He did this in 2011 and won 78 per cent of the votes, but the riggers manipulated the results. De­spite that, he refused to go to court. In four years, Abia North has lost its quality rep­resentation. The people in Abia North know that Kalu will be an outstanding sena­tor and therefore, will always vote for him,” Ohia stated.
Kalu contested the Abia North Senatorial seat on the platform of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in 2011. He had earlier contest­ed for the Presidency in 2007 on the platform of PPA.
The former governor re­joined the PDP in 2012 and has participated in the activi­ties of the party ever since.
A foundation member of the PDP, Kalu left the part in 2007 to found the PPA, when he was deregistered along with others. The PPA won the governorship elections in Abia and Imo states as well as state House of Assembly and House of Representa­tives seats.

2015: Why I want to run for Abia North senatorial seat — Kalu

Former Abia State governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, at the weekend, attributed his interest to run for the Abia North senatorial seat on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to his resolve to serve the people of the state.
He, however, hinged his belief and optimism on God despite the bickerings by some politicians in the state who are against his ambition.
Kalu, who spoke to some journalists at the Lagos Airport on his way to the Middle East, declared that he would continue to pursue the ongoing reconciliation in the ruling PDP despite distractions from the Abia State chapter of the party.
His words: ‘‘Last week, I picked my nomination form at Wadata Plaza. I decided to run for Senate after several calls by the good people of Abia North for better representation. I and Governor T.A Orji are from different senatorial zones and more so, the mandate belongs to the people. No one has monopoly of power to make anyone senator except God and your constituents.
“I believe that the beauty of democracy is fair play and the president has promised a level playing field for all aspirants. Before venturing into politics, I had been empowering my people when I was in public office; so, based on this, I rest assured of victory.”

He, however, commended government for addressing the insecurity affecting the country, while also calling on traditional rulers and leaders of thought to educate their subjects on the negative effects of terrorism.

“Boko haram has been surmounted to a large extent. We must commend the efforts of the federal government and support of foreign countries and international agencies in curbing terrorism.”

On Chibok girls, he accused politicians of over heating the issue saying: “though I feel very pained as a father too. However, we must not forget that the President is trying his best and having sleepless night over the abduction of these girls. We all need to work together without been partisan to collectively salvage the situation.

“The #BringBackOurGirls campaign is commendable as they have created awareness and put government on their toes in finding a lasting solution to the menace. I want to appeal to Emirs and leaders of thought to continue to educate the people on the negative effect of terrorism to the nation as nothing strive in an atmosphere of unrest.

We should keep praying for the country as we approach election year and politicians should embrace the spirit of sportsmanship in the forthcoming elections.”

Kalu’s senatorial ambition: Would PDP’s umbrella contain all this time?

“No one has monopoly of power to make anyone Sen­ator except God and one’s constituents. I believe that the beauty of democracy is fair-play and the President has promised a level playing ground for all aspirants…”

 The above were the words of former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu as he picked his nomination form to run for Abia North Senatorial seat on the platform of the PDP ahead of the 2015 elections. Kalu who said that he picked his nomination form at Wadata Plaza, informed that his move in doing that, having served his state as governor between the period of 1999-2007, was because he has had numerous calls from and by his people in that respect to represent them again, not as governor, but as senator this time around.

 Be­fore venturing into politics, according to Kalu, he had been empowering his people same way when he was in public office, so based on this, he’s confident of victory. He believes that it is on the desk of the people to decide who their representative should be and not any person in the state. As a great man Kalu is, it is obvious that some persons who think themselves power brokers in Abia are now jittery for this time-consuming move by Kalu, because the lion has come back to her fold.

 It is obvious that Abia North Senatorial District that Kalu hails from is now engulfed in rainbow of thoughtfulness among the infinitesimal group that remorse Kalu because of politics. It could be recalled that barely five days to the 2011 senatorial elections in Abia State, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) nearly went into rubbles following the oligarchic approach of Governor T.A Orji that targeted two party muscular members, Chief Ojo Maduekwe and Senate President, David Mark. The governor feared the overwhelming weight of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPA) senatorial candidate and former governor of the state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.

 Governor T.A Orji against David Mark
As it was to the build up for the election in 2011, Governor Theodore Orji pushed for the PDP candidate, Uche Chukwumerije and persuaded the people from that Abia North constituency to vote for Chukwumerije. The governor is from Abia Central, while Kalu and Chukwumerije who were the major contenders in that election come from Abia North Senatorial District.
The governor was doing that, because of the resentment that he has shown to Kalu – the man that spent his resources and energy and he became governor in the 2007 elections? Against this backdrop, many people from Abia State had wished Maduekwe would be national chairman of the PDP, but the governor was out and was pushing Chukwumerije to become senator in order to represent the Senate President David Mark. But as nature wanted it, Mark was fully out of returning to the National Assembly as president of the Senate.
According to a report in a national paper with the title, “Abia North Tears PDP Apart”, March 29, 2011, “Apparently, Governor Orji is not comfortable with having Maduekwe, who is from Ohafia in Abia North as PDP chairman, and is, therefore, pushing Chukwumerije as Senate president even when he has not won a third-term ticket. Governor Orji knows that following the party’s continuity arrangement, Senator Mark, who is a strong backer of President Goodluck Jonathan, has brighter chances of winning Senatorial elections than Chukwumerije.”


Kalu as his rivals’ waterloo
Kalu was not making noise within the period. He allowed ‘noisemakers’ make the noise, while he used his head. As the source had it, Emeka Obasi who’s Kalu’s aid, in his postulation said: “That is a sweet umbrella battle. Kalu is their waterloo. Expectedly, the ‘Otimkpu’ regime has started playing ‘kalo-kalo,’ building castles in the air.

“This is just a ploy to knock out Maduekwe from the PDP chairmanship race. I hope Senator Mark is watching. No governor has the power to anoint a Senate president. Elections have not even been held. And you know it is now one- man, one- vote. No Federal might, no state power.”

(Obasi described the move as further proof that the Abia State government had run short of ideas, speedily turning into an island in the Igbo hinterland), while he continued, according to the source, “Believe it, we have a pariah government in Abia. The First Lady had since distanced herself from their terminological inexactitudes.

“The Chief-of-Army staff Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, a worthy son of the state, said the army would not take part in politics. Somebody, somewhere wallowing in delusion, thought the renovated military presence in Ohafia would be part of their kitchen cabinet. And just Saturday in Abuja, Governor Chibuike Amechi rightly proclaimed Mr. President as a Rivers son-in-law. Now the umbrella in Abia cannot cover anybody.”

Would the PDP’s umbrella accommodate all this time?

Abia North is made up of Arochukwu, Bende, Isiukwuato, Ohafia and Umunneochi council areas. Chukwumerije hails from Umunneochi Local Government Area. Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, won in that 2011 election and is still interested in picking the PDP ticket in the Abia North Senatorial zone in 2015.

However, he had fallen apart with Chief Obasanjo-led PDP when he mounted pressure against the third term agenda, when he won his first senatorial election in 2003-2007. When Obasanjo’s heat was much on him, he genuflected to the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) (the party that Kalu built) in 2006 and was reelected to the Senate in April 2007. It was obvious that Kalu was rigged out of the election in 2011 with the arsenal of security operatives that were heavily present in Abia North.

Kalu rejects result
A total of 11 political parties participated in the election in Abia North. By April 11 2011, the news was everywhere that Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu had rejected the result of the April 10 2011, which declared Chukwumerije winner of the Abia North senatorial election, announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Chukwumerije the winner.



Kalu vowed to challenge the outcome in court of competent jurisdiction. In the result, the commission said Kalu polled 34, 188 votes, while Chukwumerije scored 83, 206 votes. Kalu’s words for rejecting the result were: “The result of the election announced by the INEC does not represent the wish of the people of Abia North. I make bold to say that I won in four of the five local government areas in Abia North Senatorial District.



“I am going to challenge the result in a court of law because it was not a true reflection of how people voted during the election. I believe in the judiciary and I am very hopeful that I will claim my victory at the court.”



It is pertinent to say that Kalu cried out that he did not win in Umunneochi Local Government was based on a so-called unapproachable presence of soldiers that terrified entitled voters away from exercising their civic responsibilities. So, it behooves on the Federal authorities and the INEC to get the election right this time, so that no one cries out of blue murder and arm-twisting in 2015.



Rubby Obinna writes from Ohaji, Imo State.

KALU HAILS UDUAGHAN AT 60

Eminent businessman and former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Kalu, has described, Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan,  as a consummate politician, who has impacted lives positively.He made the remark in a congratulatory message to the governor who turns 60 on Wednesday, October 22.

Kalu in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Kunle Oyewumi, said,”As you attain the age of 60, I join your family, friends and well-wishers to celebrate this milestone. You have touched lives in different capacities especially with the laudable programmes of your administration in Delta state. We cannot ask for more than to thank God for your life.  It is my prayer that God Almighty will continue to bless you in health and wisdom to steer the ship of Delta State”
He urged the celebrant to see the grace of life as a challenge to continue his good work in Delta State.

ORJI KALU FOUNDATION TAKES FREE MEDICAL SCHEME TO IGBERE

Orji Uzor Kalu foundation has launched a free medical scheme to treat the elderly people in Abia North from 15th to 18th October 2014. The scheme was kicked off in Igbere by the former governor of Abia state, His Excellency, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.

From Igbere the medical team will move to Ohafia, Bende, Umunneochi, Arochukwu, Uzuakoli, Isuikwuato etc.

Acording to Kalu, the free medical scheme is a program initiated by him and his wife Dr. Mrs Ify Uzor Kalu to provide medical relief to elderly people, most of whom can not afford their medical bills. “This is borne out of my passion for the people, even when I was the governor, it was a cardinal policy of my administration to always send medical teams to take care of the elderly all over the state.”

He said the program is not only for the Abia north but will cover the 36 states of the federation including Abuja.