Tag: Orji Kalu

Alleged N7.6bn Fraud: Appeal Court strikes out FG’s suit seeking ex-Abia Gov. Kalu’s retrial

Aminu Imam

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has struck out bid by the Federal Government to begin fresh prosecution of a former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, in the N7.6 billion fraud and money laundering case brought against him. The appellate court threw away the Government’s move in a judgment delivered in Abuja by Justice Joseph Oyewole yesterday. Oyewole held that the record of appeal brought by the Federal Government was incompetent and unreliable for any court to use to grant its request. Among others, Justice Oyewole said that the…

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Senate Presidency: Tearful Orji Kalu laments injustice, says he’s not a thief

Aminu Imam

The Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu broke down weeping yesterday as he recalled his experience in the past four years as a member of the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Kalu, a former governor of Abia spoke at the valedictory session to signal the end of legislative activities, which began on June 11, 2019. The former governor became emotional when he recalled that soon after he was jailed after he became a Senator during which he spent about a year in Kuje prison. Recall that Kalu was in…

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“We didn’t endorse Kalu for Senate Presidency” – ACF

Aminu Imam

The Arewa Consultative Forum, (ACF), has distanced itself from claims that it endorsed former Abia State Governor, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu for the Senate Presidency of the 10th National Assembly. The reaction followed a statement credited to the leader of the Arewa Youth Conservative Forum, AYCF, Yerima Shettima, claiming that Kalu was the preferred candidate of ACF. One of its members, Musa Sa’idu, in an issued statement yesterday, said the claim was false, adding that the Forum had no youth wing. According to him, “The ACF has not endorsed Kalu…

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EFCC to appeal court ruling on Orji Kalu’s re-trial

Aminu Imam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), says it will appeal the ruling by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court stopping the Commission from retrying a former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. Kalu was serving a 12-year jail term for N7.1 billion fraud when the Supreme Court, ruling on an appeal by his co-defendant, Ude Udeogu, on 8 May 2020, nullified the proceedings leading to their conviction. The Supreme Court had ordered a retrial at the Federal High Court. But Kalu who profited from the…

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Despite Supreme Court’s retrial order, judge stops EFCC from prosecuting Orji Kalu

Aminu Imam

A Federal High Court judge in Abuja, Inyang Ekwo, yesterday, barred the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), from retrying a former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, who was earlier convicted of N7.1 billion fraud. Kalu, a serving senator representing Abia-North, was already serving a 12-year jail term for the offences when the Supreme Court, on 8 May 2020, nullified the proceedings, leading to his and his co-defendants’ conviction. The Supreme Court’s judgment, delivered on an appeal by Kalu’s co-defendant, Ude Udeogu, had ordered a re-trial at the Federal…

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‘Nigerians must not allow a repeat of civil war’ – Orji Kalu

Aminu Imam

The Chief Whip of the senate, Orji Uzor Kalu, has said that Nigerians must not allow a repetition of the civil war. In a statement on Tuesday, Kalu said the people of the south-east are not known for attacking public infrastructure, adding that it is not the best way to express grievances. The Nigerian civil war was between 1967 and 1970. The former Abia State governor said the region needs infrastructure and not hostilities. According to him, “The policemen and military officers killed are fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, children and…

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