Posted by By CHRISTIAN ITA on
The arrest and arraignment of immediate past governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu for alleged money laundering while in office has been dismissed as a ruse by a chieftain of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in Abia State, Mazi Chibuike Jonas.
The arrest and arraignment of immediate past governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu for alleged money laundering while in office has been dismissed as a ruse by a chieftain of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in Abia State, Mazi Chibuike Jonas.
Speaking exclusively with Sunday Sun, Jonas said the action of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is nothing but political vendetta against Kalu for his criticisms of the mis-governance of the country by former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
It was his view that the EFCC was fighting a proxy war for Obasanjo, who had at various times vowed to humiliate the former Abia State governor on the wicket marginalization of Igbos and the mis-management of Nigeria in the eight year reign of Obasanjo.
He contended that Kalu, who at many occasions has had to use his personal resources to bail out the state, could not have and did not steal from the state's treasury since he was already a billionaire before becoming governor of the state in 1999.
'The entire episode smacks of political vendetta. Kalu did not steal Abia State funds because he was already a comfortable billionaire by the time he assumed office on May 29, 1999. So, the whole thing is a ruse and would soon be unraveled for what it is," said the politician.
To further buttress his position, he wondered how a governor, who had previously been dubbed action governor by the same Obasanjo, would soon be alleged to have stolen state funds the moment he began to question Obasanjo's leadership style.
The politician threw a challenge to the EFCC that if it wants to be taken serious by Nigerians, it should also arrest and arraign Obasanjo since several allegations of corruption have also been made against him.
' It is only when they (EFCC) arrest Obasanjo would we believe that they are truly out to fight corruption. Failing to do that would call to question their integrity, which unfortunately, is at an all time low in the eyes of the public at the moment."