Posted by By LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja on
Former governor of Abia State and presidential flagbearer of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu was in the Presidential Villa yesterday where he met for two hours behind closed doors with President Umaru Yar'Adua.
Former governor of Abia State and presidential flagbearer of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu was in the Presidential Villa yesterday where he met for two hours behind closed doors with President Umaru Yar'Adua.
His visit to the seat of power came less than 24 hours after his release from the Kuje Medium Security Prisons where he was detained over allegations of money laundering preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Kalu, who arrived the villa at 8.45 a.m, went straight for the meeting with the president and only departed at about 10.48 am. Security operatives at the various gates within the villa and other some workers hailed him as his vehicle drove past the screening points.
It was not exactly clear what Kalu's discussion with the president centred on, but sources close to the Presidency said it might not be unconnected with the way forward for the country.
The former governor's party, PPA, being the third largest after the ruling Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) had agreed to work with President Yar'Adua in the proposed government of national unity after invitation to that effect was extended to it.
Kalu was released only on Wednesday after satisfying the stringent conditions given by the Abuja High Court for his bail. He had walked out of the prison gates into the warm embrace of his political associates, friends and admirers who had thronged the Kuje Prisons in anticipation of his release.
He was arrested on July 11 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport , Abuja on return from vacation in the United States of America . He was heading for a meeting of his party scheduled for the same day where the issue of government of national unity proposed by President Yar'Adua was billed to be discussed.
Kalu's arrest sparked off a lot of reactions from different segments of the society as well as foreigners who demanded his immediate release, accusing government and the EFCC of bias in the matter.