Former Abia State governor and chief whip of the 9th National Assembly Orji Uzor-Kalu couldn’t hold back his tears as he made his valedictory speech Saturday as the 9th Senate tenure came to an end.
Kalu narrated that Nigeria has not been fair to him after making selfless sacrifice only to be accused of stealing money and put in jail.
“Before I came into politics, I could buy anything money could buy,” he said.
I’m not a thief. Those who put me in prison know the reason. They took over my businesses and wanted to kill me, yet I survived it, and I’m in the Senate with you.”
“I have never lacked, while I was in the Peoples Democratic Party where I served for two terms as governor, I brought the money they used to form that party, every penny, in 1997 and 1998, and I later became a thief.
“People I gave transport money from my house in Victoria Island became agents. This is what Nigeria represents.”
“Thank you for giving me these four years of uninterrupted support. This country is not fair.”
Kalu is gunning to be Senate president even as his Party the All Progressives Congress is pushing forward Godswill Akpabio. In 2019 he was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on charges of money laundering to the tune of N7.1b and was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, but the Supreme Court that same year overturned the judgement on technicalities allowing Kalu to walk free and return to his Senatorial duties.
Also speaking at the valedictory session was Vice President, Kassim Shettima. He urged Senators in the 10th assembly to be more patriotic.
“To my colleagues who will depart from this chamber, I address you not as colleagues left behind but as experienced lawmakers who have become an integral part of my history. We have shared many things in common and standing shoulder to shoulder in times of adversity. We have fought relentlessly for the betterment of our dear country.
“To my incoming colleagues, I will leave you with a paradox. The stability of this nation is superior to the stability of our pockets. On Tuesday, let us vote wisely. Let us vote for the Nigerian nation.
“The stability of our country is better than the stability of our pockets. Let us vote wisely on Tuesday.”
