The Office of the Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has dismissed allegations by the Abia State chapter of the Labour Party as “false and misleading,” insisting that the former governor remains a committed democrat who has never manipulated election results.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by George Maduka, the senator’s office said it was responding to what it described as a “watery press release” by the factional publicity secretary of the party, Mr. Chidiebere Okoro.
The statement further alleged that the release reflected “the unmistakable tone” of Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, and his media aide, Ferdinand Ekeoma.
While criticising the Labour Party, the statement said it was necessary to “provide a measured, factual rebuttal to correct the record and enlighten the public,” adding that its position represented “katharen aletheian, the pure, untainted truth.”
The senator’s office rejected claims that Kalu’s recent political remarks amounted to threats of violence, describing such interpretation as “a mark of intellectual torpor.”
“Senator Kalu is a core democrat who has never attempted to manipulate or write election results. We challenge Governor Otti and his blind acolytes to provide any evidence where the senator has been accused of such an act,” the statement said.
It argued that if any politician had been a victim of electoral manipulation, it was Kalu himself, alleging that his trust had been “betrayed by self-serving politicians like Otti,” who it claimed once sought his support while allegedly working against him in Abia North.
The statement also alleged that political tension in the state stemmed from Governor Otti, describing him as “a cunning opportunist” whose party, it claimed, is factionalised into three groups.
“If there is any panic, it resides squarely with Otti… aware that his time is expiring,” the statement added, while questioning the governor’s alleged multiple promises of the deputy governorship position.
Defending Kalu’s political stance, the statement said he “requires no tutelage in civility,” and accused the Labour Party of relying on “non-state actors and sympathisers of proscribed groups” to harass opponents and influence the electoral process.
“Kalu merely assured his supporters that they would be defended against such elements, which Governor Otti has alarmingly emboldened,” it said.
The statement further painted a grim picture of the state under the current administration, alleging rising social vices including drug abuse, vandalism, and “unwanted pregnancies,” as well as increasing communal disputes.
“Communities, once cohesive, are now riven by chieftaincy and land disputes, artificially inflamed by state officials seeking to appropriate communal lands,” it claimed.
It insisted that Kalu’s reference to “defending the mandate of the people” was constitutional and not a threat, adding that during his tenure as governor, the only “terror” experienced by residents was the “decisive suppression of armed robbery and crime.”
The senator’s office also claimed that Governor Otti had previously acknowledged Kalu’s popularity, quoting him as saying: “You dare not criticise Kalu in the presence of my mother.”
On infrastructure, the statement argued that most ongoing road projects in Aba, Umuahia, Ohafia and Bende were originally constructed during Kalu’s administration.
“Kalu is correct: Otti is merely reconstructing roads laid by Senator Kalu… The current works are continuations, or continuum, of foundational projects,” it said.
It challenged the Otti administration to explain why, despite what it described as the “highest allocations in the history of Abia State,” it had not delivered key projects such as general hospitals, the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), commissioners’ quarters, and stadiums.
“Renovation does not erase the groundwork,” the statement added.
The statement also questioned the management of state resources, alleging that despite increased revenues, workers were still owed arrears and pensions remained unpaid.
“If Governor Otti has ‘all the money in the world’ and allocations are at an all-time high, why are workers owed arrears? Why have pensions remained unsettled?” it queried.
It further alleged that the state now receives about ₦60 billion monthly, attributing the increase to fiscal reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The senator’s office also made several financial allegations, including claims that over ₦18 billion had been spent on private jets and travel by the governor, and that the ₦70,000 minimum wage was only partially implemented.
According to the statement, “junior staff earn ₦29,000, road sweepers ₦23,000, and supervisors get ₦47,000,” while professors at Abia State University reportedly earn ₦520,000 compared to up to ₦1.2 million elsewhere.
It added that school fees had risen above ₦100,000, placing a burden on families, and questioned the utilisation of funds, claiming that with a wage bill below ₦10 billion, “the remaining ₦50 billion’s utilisation remains opaque.”
The statement also alleged that ₦560 million was being spent monthly on media propaganda, while infrastructure projects such as the Umuikaa–Owerrinta road were progressing slowly and at substandard levels.
It further claimed irregularities in disbursement of funds and compensation, including the Nsulu Airport project, alleging that “over 1,000 fictitious names account for ₦1.4 billion of a ₦40 billion allocation.”
“Workers, pensioners, and lecturers continue to receive fractional payments mislabelled as final settlements,” it added.
The senator’s office said it was ready for scrutiny, challenging the governor to open the state’s financial records.
“We dare Governor Otti to submit to a forensic audit of the state’s finances from day one. The contrast between a governor who builds prudently with little and one who mismanages abundance will be undeniable,” the statement said.
It also questioned the existence of “over ₦60 billion smart schools,” describing them as largely unsubstantiated.
On allegations regarding Kalu’s personal wealth, the statement defended the senator, saying his business empire predated his entry into politics.
“Kalu built his house prior to governance, emerging from the private sector as a legitimate international business magnate… attaining billionaire status at the age of 26,” it said, adding that companies such as Slok Air and Slok Shipping were operational before 1999.
The statement also referenced school fees, noting that while the Labour Party admitted current fees were “a little over ₦100,000,” Kalu had reduced fees to ₦7,500 during his tenure, which it described as a major intervention at the time.
It dismissed claims that Kalu relied on political alliances through coercion, insisting that his “formidable grassroots network is self-sufficient,” while alleging that Governor Otti had been “traversing Lagos and Abuja in search of alliances.”
“The tantrums from Otti and his followers signify panic… come election day, Abians will recall who laid foundations and who merely painted the walls,” the statement said.
It advised the Labour Party to “focus on governance, address outstanding court cases, and cease hallucinating about Kalu,” adding that the people of Abia State were discerning.
“The era of propaganda is ongoing, but the people see through the smoke and mirrors—aletheia prevails,” the statement concluded.
