…says he spends personal earnings to make up 

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

The Chief Whip of Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has said that money was not a motivation for his active participation in politics.

He said he has lost more by using his personal resources to make up where necessary in his service to the people.

Kalu, who was the governor of Abia State from 1999 to 2007 said that he bought the latest Mercedes Benz car in 1982 for which people thought he was into money rituals at the time.

Kalu made the disclosures in a Facebook page he made on Saturday.

Recall that the former governor is standing trial for allegedly diverting resources of the State he superintendented over for 8 years.

The post read thus: “In 1982 when I bought the latest Mercedes car (the then President Shehu Shagari was the only Nigerian using the same car as at that time ), I recall that whenever I drove the car some would look at it with admiration while a few were spreading rumors that I was into money rituals.

“Unfortunately things haven’t changed much today, people still think that you wake up and make money without working for it. 

“People should stop entertaining the blackmails that money is OUK’s motivating factor in politics. If it’s actually about money as propagated, then I already have all I would ever need.

“While I was Governor, I never bought a new home. I have lost more money being into politics. I took over from a military administrator and those who knew the condition of Abia before 1999 will have a better understanding of the level of work we did before leaving government in 2007.

“After I left as Governor, I stayed away from politics for 12 years. I returned to politics in 2019 when it was obvious the zone was going into trenches and for the sake of the people . Meanwhile, my return to politics has paid off for the Abia North zone beyond expectations. 

“As of today, I can decide to even resign as a senator because I spend my private money to make up a lot of things while serving the people. 

“Nigeria is unfortunately a country where people who have done no  business except holding public office are hailed while those who have worked hard all their lives creating wealth and employing people are called names . Imagine expecting a man who bankrolled PDP in 1998 with five hundred million naira to the party and one hundred million naira to the presidential candidate of the party to be hungry?

“I became an employer of Labour at an early age and have steadily continued to be.I have worked hard all my life and the best you can do is to study people and try to be better than them .  For the life we live is not for ourselves alone  but for God and to then accommodate other people”.