Mr. IKEM NNECHETAM, a lawyer writes from Texas, USA.
AS  With the next general elections approaching rapidly, politicians are becoming desperate to remain relevant in the scheme of things.

This is more so with those who have tasted power and are now in political limbo. Those who are power are also not leaving any stone unturned in a bid to forestall being upstaged by politicians with questionable motives.

Everything is being thrown into the battle by the opposing forces in the polity. Blackmail, name-calling, blasphemy and propaganda have become the name of the game in this bid to garner cheap popularity, support and sympathy. But in all this, the records and antecedents of every politician are very clear for Nigerians to pass judgment.

That was why I was not surprised when I read in the one of the national dailies a letter allegedly written by the Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji to the Inspector-General of Police urging him to arrest his predecessor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu.

The letter did not give any reason why the IGP was being urged to arrest KaIu; even the message of the said letter was not well and clearly articulated. I have been following political developments in Abia State since Governor Orji assumed office in 2007.

Orji has displayed high level of political maturity in the face of incessant provocations from enemies who have lost out in the power game in the state. He has eschewed politics of violence and score-settling which were the hallmarks of the game in the state in the past.

Everything is working smoothly for Governor Orji and the people have shown total readiness and commitment to join hands with him to turn the State around for good after many years of neglect by previous governments.

So I wonder why, if it is true, what such letter was meant to achieve? This is because with the political equation in the state today, Orji’s predecessor and his cohorts are no threat to his second term ambition at all. That is why I concluded that the alleged letter might be part of the orchestrated plot to blackmail Orji and his government, especially as election time is fast approaching.

My conclusion soon turned prophetic as within five days, another one page publication came out again in the same national daily titled “Letter to the good people of Abia State on the N29 billion purported to have been borrowed by our government” written by  Gov. Orji’s immediate predecessor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu stating his government’s role in the alleged N29 billion it allegedly bequeathed his successor.

After going through the letter, I was shocked and disappointed, because it fell short of account of stewardship in office, after eight years in office as governor. I expected to read an account of his stewardship as governor. Before the publication, I had read the letter on the internet and I didn’t see any cohesion or truth in it.

Not that I am speaking for or defending Governor Orji or the state government, but as someone who has worked in government before, there is no way a governor or President can say that the country or state government is not owing anybody or organisation. It is a lie.

All over the world, government owes more than any organisation, but what differs is how much and whom do they owe. It is not only when government borrows money that they owe, they owe contractors and suppliers who work for them on daily basis, both locally and internationally.

Did Orji’s predecessor want the world to believe that the state was debt-free when he handed over in 2007. That the State exited from the Paris Club and London Club debt trap in 2007 does not mean that it was not owing other organisations and companies locally and internationally.

Okay, if it was debt-free, why didn’t he state how much he left in the state coffers? How much did his government owe contractors and others before leaving? How much debt did he hand over to his successors? These are pertinent answers missing in the letter and must be provided to make it meaningful.

Trying to be smart by half by claiming that the State was debt-free is a blatant and glaring lie that cannot fly at all. From the contents of the letter, it was obvious that empty treasury was bequeathed to Governor Orji in 2007.

The allegation that Governor Orji borrowed N20 billion from a consortium of bank within two months in office is laughable because I am aware that government borrows money from banks more than any organization as they are remain banks’ biggest customers. If it is true that Governor Orji borrowed such money, Kalu should tell the world how much has been repaid or does it mean that government has not paid back anything since then.

Besides, banks or the Central Bank will always go after their debtors. It is not the business of private individuals to determine how they go about it. Why is it that the consortium of banks allegedly being owed by the State government under Governor Orji had not gone after them to recover the debt?

I hope that Orji’s predecessor and accuser has documents to prove what he has alleged. Let it not be like what obtained when he alleged some years ago that former Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih wanted to kill him, but later went to Benin in a chartered flight to apologise to the same Anenih.

It was the same way he alleged that the Imo State governor, Ikedi Ohakim bought some choice properties across the country and overseas, but could not substantiate same when the Imo State House of Assembly summoned him to prove his allegation.

People are quite aware that it is longer business as usual in the State and some feathers are being ruffled. But is that  enough for people to be so desperate? It is  axiomatic that change is the only permanent thing and it is what is ongoing in Abia today. So, it is expected that in the days ahead, more allegations will be made, but the question is how true are they and why now?

This is election time and politicians should be careful of what they say or allege in order not to overheat the polity.