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Tag: former Abia State governor

  • Ohuabunwa kicks as Orji Kalu wins senatorial seat

    Former Abia State governor, Chief Orji Kalu has defeated incumbent Senator Mao Ohuabunwa in the battle for Abia north senatorial seat.

    Kalu of the All Progressives Congress(APC) polled 31,203 votes to defeat Ohuabunwa of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) who secured 20,801 votes.

    The returning officer for senatorial election Dr. Charles Anumodu declared Kalu winner while the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance(APGA) Chief David Ogba who scored 11,410 votes.

    Ohuabunwa however rejected the result of the election in a statement issued by his campaign Organisation.

    Ohuabunwa, in the statement by Mr. Ukpai Ukairo, the true results Abia North senatorial election were still being collated.

    According to him: “It has come to our knowledge that INEC operatives in their haste to arrive at a pre-determined conclusion manipulated the electoral process to the shock of all well- meaning patriots who believe in democracy.

    “In this respect, it is tragic that INEC could conduct an election without the issuance of form EC40G, a form used to capture cancelled votes and places where there was no voting.

    Read also: PDP clears Oredo, Esan North East/Esan South East

    “In the circumstances of the above, we demand that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in  Abia State should to direct the Returning Officer of the Abia North Senatorial Election to make the requisite declaration in accordance with the dictates of Rule 17E(e) of the guidelines for the conduct of elections issued by INEC by cancelling the elections completely”.

    Kalu also delivered his Bende Local Government for President Mahamadu Buhari.

     Buhari polled a total of 9,233 to defeat the candidate of Peoples Democratic party Atiku Abubakar who polled 6649.

    The returning officer for the presidential election in the area Prof Nnennaya Ibiam, announced the result at the INEC headquarters in  Umuahia, the state capital on Sunday.

    Member representing Isikwuuato/ Umunneochi federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in Abia state, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, also won a return to the House of Representatives for the fourth term.

    She was declared winner after polling 14,712 votes to defeat her closest rival of the Peoples Democratic Party Mr. Ude Achara who polled 10,064 votes.

    Also in Bende federal Constituency, Benjamin Kalu of the All Progressive Congress also polled 9,138 to defeat Chimanyaso of the Peoples Democratic Party who polled 5591 in the Bende federal Constituency.

    The returning officer for the constituency Mr. Martin Okoro declared him winner after announcing the result.

  • Lalong, Shittu, Kalu meet Buhari in Daura

    Plateau State Governor, Solomon Lalong, Communication Minister, Adebayo Shittu and former Abia state Governor, Dr. Orji -Uzor Kalu, Wednesday in Daura , Katsina state, held  a closed door meeting which lasted for more than 30 minutes, with President Muhammadu Buhari at his country home.

    The meeting was held shortly after Kalu was conferred with a chieftaincy title “Danbaiwan Hausa”, meaning: ‘Gifted son of Hausa Land’ by the Emir of Daura, Dr. Farouq Umar Farouq.

    Read Also:2019: Saraki, Kwankwaso, Tambuwal, others can’t stop Buhari

    Both Plateau state Governor and the Communication minister were among the dignitaries who accompanied the former Abia Governor to the Emir’s palace for the conferment of the title at a turbanning ceremony held earlier

    The trio, shortly after the event, left for President Buhari’s residence.

    They were ushered in to see the President at about 2.40 p. m. The Plateau Governor was the first to depart the residence at 3.30p.m while Kalu and Shittu followed suit five minutes thereafter.

    Shittu however told journalists that they were at President’s residence to “pay obeisance”.

    He said” We were here to pay obeisance .You know the President recently returned from medical trip abroad, and were unable to see him because soon after the security meeting on Monday he left for Daura’’

    “Contrary to the claim by his detractors that he is not fit to run a second time, the President is not only fit to trek 800 meters as reported by the media, he is fit mentally and physically to continue to pilot the affairs of our great country even for the next four years after 2019 elections.”

    Shittu said he attended Kalu’s event to reciprocate his kindness and liberal attitude to all Nigerians irrespective of tribes or religions.

    He blamed the Ibos for ‘’ostracizing’’ themselves from mainstream Nigerian political life, urging them to queue behind Buhari this time around

    Earlier, the Emir had said, during the event, that Kalu was conferred with the title because of his contribution to the unity of Nigeria and his (Kalu) love for President Buhari’s administration and championing his reelection bid.

  • APC determined to win Anambra guber election – Oyegun

    APC determined to win Anambra guber election – Oyegun

    National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said Thursday that winning the forth coming Anambra governorship election was a test case for the APC led government’s bid to mainstream the south east in the power equation of the country.

    Speaking when he received APC South East Zonal Committee for the Anambra 2017 Governorship election at the National Secretariat in Abuja, Chief Oyegun said the APC was determined to win the election.

    Odigie-Oyegun: “It is clear that the quality of the committee underscores the importance in which the Party hold the Anambra governorship election and the importance in which we hold return of the South East to the mainstream of Nigerian politics.

    “At national level, it is a matter of prime concern. We are very keen to return the nation to the balance it used to have, a balanced federation. And it is most important for that purpose that the South South and South East must participate.

    “We must try to achieve a semblance of equality and full participation by all geopolitical groups in the power equation of this country. We are joining you in making Anambra a test case.

    Fortunately, we have had quite a number of good opinion leaders joining the movement and we now have the critical mass with which to project this great effort. We are fully with you in this effort. Certainly, by next month the Party leadership will set up a national campaign committee for Anambra state. We are determined to work, not to manipulate to win the forthcoming Anambra governorship election.”

    Also Speaking, the Committee Chairman, Dr. Jim Nwobodo said the Anambra governorship election is important for APC as a national Party, adding that everything legally possible must be done to win the State.

    Nwobodo said: “Anambra is an important State in the South East, economically and politically.  It is a State where very prominent and wealthy Igbos come from, some of whom are aspiring to contest for the forthcoming Governorship election. There may be attempts to influence the primaries with money and buy nomination.

    “But this Committee has resolved that the most popular choice of the people of Anambra State will emerge, irrespective of how deep his pocket may be, through a transparent primary. This is because imposing an unpopular candidate is a recipe for failure and bad governance.

    “Beyond the primaries, APC government should do something to convince the people of Anambra State and indeed the South East, to vote for an APC governorship candidate and that they are still part of the government of the day.”

    The Committee which was presented by APC National Vice Chairman (South East), Hon. Emma Eneukwu is chaired by former governor of old Anambra state, Dr. Jim Nwobodo.

    Former Abia state governor, Dr. Uzor Kalu is Vice Chairman. Other members of the Committee are Sen. Emma Azu Agboti (Secretary) Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume, Sen. Nkechi Nwogu, Chief Cosmas Maduba and Chief Gbazuagu Gbazuagu.

     

     

  • Alleged N5.6b fraud: Kalu, two others to be arraigned May 16

    Alleged N5.6b fraud: Kalu, two others to be arraigned May 16

    Justice Anwuri Chikere of the Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed May 16 for arraignment of former Abia State governor, Orji Uzoh Kalu, the state’s ex-Director of Finance in the State House, Udeh Jones Udeogu, and Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited on a 112 amended charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    They are accused of diverting the Abia State’s funds estimated at about N5.6billion while Kalu and Udeogu were in office between 1999 and 2007.

    The three are to be re-arraigned on the amended charge about seven years after they were earlier arraigned on a similar charge before Justice Adamu Bello (now retired from the Federal High Court’s bench).

    Kalu, Slok and Udeogu were first arraigned on July 27, 2007 on a 96-count charge. The EFCC, on on February 11, 2008 amended the charge, raising it to112 counts. The defendants challenged the competence of the charge up to the Supreme, losing in every court. They also lost at the Supreme Court which, in a judgment on March 18 this year, dismissed their appeal and ordered them to submit themselves for trial.

    Kalu and Udeogu were in court Monday when the case was called for mention.

    Dressed in white native attire, Kalu mounted the dock, accompanied by Udeogu when the case was called.

    Prosecution lawyer, Oluwaleke Atolagbe handed a copy of the Supreme Court judgment to Justice Chikere and sought time for the prosecution to put its house in order.

    “This matter was slated for mention today. On March 18, 2016, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeals by the defendants.

    “I will urge my lord to adjourn the case to afford the prosecution some time to take some steps. We will need about two weeks. We seek an adjournment for the defendants to take their plea.”

    Kalu’s lawyer, Awa Kalu (SAN) and Solomon Akuma (SAN), who represented Udeogu and Slok ,did not oppose the  prosecution’s request for adjournment, following which the judge adjourned May 16 for the taking of the defendants’ plea.

    A five-man panel of the Supreme Court had while dismissing the appeals by Kalu and Udeogu on March 18, upheld the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which also dismissed an earlier appealed by the defendants.

    Justice Suleiman Galadima, who prepared the lead judgement of the Supreme Court, which read by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, held that the appeals were without merit.

    “The appellant had approached the Federal High Court, Abuja to quash the charges made against him by the EFCC.  The Court dismissed the case. We went to the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division. He lost and approached this court.

    “Having considered all issues raised and arguments by parties, I come to the conclusion that I cannot, but help in dismissing this appeal for lacking in merit. It is dismissed.

    “I affirm the decision of the court bellow, which rightly affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court, that it was not bound by the ex-parte order of the Abia State High Court as to vitiate the charges preferred against the appellant. The learned Chief Judge of the Federal High Court should assign the case to another judge for expeditious trial,” Justice Ngwuta said.