Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
Senator representing Abia North, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has said he had no hand in the disenfranchisement of Abiriba’s people in Ohafia Local Government Area in the February 25 National Assembly elections.
In a statement yesterday, the lawmaker said the allegation that he accused the Agboji and Ameke communities in Abiriba of being sympathetic to the agitations of IPOB, hence voters did not come out to exercise their civic right was false and unfounded.
Kalu’s response comes after a group Abiriba Communal Improvement Union (ACIU) insisted that Kalu’s alleged comment was instrumental to why they did not vote on election day over fear of being attacked.
ACIU had, in a paid newspaper advertorial, said Kalu’s alleged comment caused INEC not to deploy its officials to the community, which according to the union eventually disenfranchised some of their people.
But Kalu said the community in the paid advert severally contradicted itself.
It claimed that INEC officials did not show up for the conduct of the National Assembly election in the community, at others, it says they came but at an inappropriate time.
Part of the paid advertorial by the ACIU read, “INEC did not show up till about 3:20pm on that fateful day.
“When they eventually arrived, particularly in Agboji ward that has ten polling units, they claimed they did not have adequate voting materials”,
In response to the allegation, however, Kalu’s media aide, Maduka Okoro said there was no shadow of truth in the allegation by ACIU.
Okoro said Kalu dif not deploy INEC officials, hence cannot be accused of being responsible for the alleged disenfranchisement of the people of Abiriba.
According to Okoro, the threat by IPOB to unleash mayhem largely affected the turn out voters in the senatorial district, noting that his principal, Sen. Kalu never mentioned Abiriba with regards to membership of IPOB.
He said the security agencies were on ground and documented that the apathy witnessed in some polling units in Abiriba was as a result of a threat by IPOB, a report corroborated by INEC’s.
Okoro said, ” Kalu has consistently demonstrated that he is a leader for all. As a governor, he constructed majority of the roads in Abiriba and such roads are still there till date. He has never discriminated against any clan in Abia State.
“As a Senator, he has equally upheld such a record which is clearly seen in his even distribution of democratic dividends. Our brothers in Abiriba are big beneficiaries of Sen. Kalu’s effective representation and this is anchored on his firm belief that we are all one.
“Even as a governor, the number of Abiriba sons and daughters who were appointed into strategic positions by Kalu is numerous. He has for ages demonstrated love which he will continue to demonstrate.
“It is disappointing that ACIU, a socio-cultural organisation has delved into politics instead of focusing on the development of its community and protection of its culture.
“Pointing accusing finger on Sen. Kalu for the perceived failure of INEC officials to arrive at the polling units in good time is uncharitable.
“Would Orji Kalu also be held responsible for late arrival of INEC officials in polling units in Delta, Nasarawa, Kogi, Sokoto and elsewhere in the country. This is not a case of peculiar to Abia alone.
“The elections are over. It is time for governance and we must all join hands to move every inch of Abia North forward rather than engaging in the politics of antagonism.
“The cord binding us together supersedes political interest. Even ACIU does not like the face of Sen. Kalu, it must honour the bond of our brotherhood and respect our age-long togetherness. The political office is transient while our cord of love remains”, he stated.
