Abia North: Orji Uzor Will Return The N5.6bn He Stole—Mao Ohuabunwa

The embattled senator and Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the Abia North Senatorial rerun election, Mao Ohuabunwa has assured his constituents that his opponent, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu would return the over N5.6 billion he allegedly stole while in office between 1999 and 2007.

Mao reacted over the appeal filed by former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, challenging the competence of the corruption charges of alleged N5.6 billion brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Supreme Court fixed March 18 to deliver judgment after Dr. Kalu asked the apex court to set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the charges leveled against him by the EFCC.

He also urged the trial court to quash the charges as no prima facie case was established against him.

Reacting, the senator whose election got nullified by the Court of Appeal, sitting in Owerri over malpractice described Orji Uzor Kalu’s appeal as one that would hit the rock. He added that equity does not come to desperate politicians like him, who he said parades with dirty hands.

“He is appealing for a quash, because it’s so clear to him that such whooping amount of money he stole from Abia State Government will be refunded. Now, it is left for us to think of where he intends getting the money from. A man that is broke; don’t you think that he will be robbing Peter to pay Paul?

“Of course, if he wins, he will be using our people’s constituency allowances to pay back. I’m very much happy that he is the one begging for clemency, and which shows that he is responsible for it. EFCC is never an arm of any political Party. It is a transparent entity, and it has confirmed it to all Abians even before this very election,” he said.

The Court of Appeal, headed by Justice G. Mbaba has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh poll within 90 days.

Adding, the former senator said, he would rather have his opponent from APGA (Onuoha-Bourdex) to emerge as winner if he fails in his ambition, “than to have an empty and renowned criminal like Orji Uzor Kalu as his replacement and senator.”