Lamentation of Orji UzorKalu

Without a doubt, Senator Orji UzorKalu is one of the most respected politicians in the country. His residences both in Abuja and his country home in Igbese in AbiaState, are a Mecca of sorts. The homes are visited daily by his loyalists as well as political associates.

He could also be considered one of the luckiest in the game of politics since the beginning of the Fourth Republic. He was the youngest person to take the oath of office as a governor in Nigeria at 39, and since then his profile has continued to rise astronomically.

At different times, Kalu has suffered undeserved humiliation in the nation’s political space. But like a true fighter, he has always emerged as a hero. Perhaps, this explains why he has, once again, become a reference point and a colossus in the game today.

Not a few were flabbergasted when the former Abia governor lamented in a recent interview that he has never benefited anything substantial since he joined politics in 1998.

The man, fondly known as OUK, claimed he has never gained personally from his political career, stating that instead, he has consistently spent his own money to support both his political ambitions and public service roles.

Kalu insisted he remains a businessman at heart. According to him, his priority has always been investing in businesses that create jobs for Nigerians.

He narrated how he made huge donations to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) when it was formed in 1998. He also claimed that even as a governor, he single-handedly funded the state with his money.

‘’I never benefitted anything from being governor. In fact, I lost a lot. The federal government even took several of my businesses. Politics has been more of a burden than a benefit to me,” he said.

He emphasised that he had already achieved substantial financial success before venturing into politics.

“I made so much money before I turned 24. I didn’t need political office to succeed financially. I brought the money they used in forming the PDP. Ask any founding member — I contributed most of the funds in 1998 and 1999,” he said.

When asked where the funds came from, Kalu credited his thriving business ventures. “I was the biggest importer of rice, sugar, confectionaries, and other goods. I also traded in petroleum products,” he explained. “Back then, the dollar was strong. I gave President Obasanjo over $1 million for his campaign and donated $500 million to the PDP. Apart from TY Danjuma and AtikuAbubakar, no one else at the time had the financial capacity to make such contributions,” he claimed.