Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu

A former Governor of Abia and business mogul, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, on Thursday, faulted former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to president Muhammadu Buhari criticising his (Buhari)’s alleged poor handling of security and the economy and urging him not to contest the 2019 presidential election.

Kalu said that the former president lacked the moral right to comment on such national issues. Dr. Kalu is a national chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The business mogul also said it would be unfair to the South East, South South and South Westerns part of Nigeria not to support the second term presidential bid of President Buhari, given the benefit it holds in ensuring the return of power to the southern part of the country in 2023.

Speaking in an interview at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), in Lagos, Kalu called on President Buhari to speak up on the challenges of insecurity affecting the country, especially as it affects the attack of some section of the country by Fulani herdsmen.

He said as much as he does not agree with the issues raised in Obasanjo’s letter, he would, however, consult first with the intelligence and international community before issuing an official response to the Obasanjo’s letter.

Kalu , however, said the challenge of herdsmen/farmers clash was lingering in some states because their governors lacked capacity to handle the situation.

He said although the President Buhari’s government might be slow in taking critical socio-economic and political decisions, it has nonetheless done well in stemming the high rate of corruption that was prevalent under the 16 years that PDP ruled Nigeria.

He alleged that the PDP plundered the NNPC and CBN at will, insisting that the APC would open the books to show the level of rot it inherited from PDP in 2015.

Kalu said President Buhari has recorded some achievements in his two and half years tenure, which necessitates calls for his re-election, listing the commencement of work on the Second Niger Bridge as a big project that would benefit the people of the south East and South South regions.

On the Obasanjo letter Kalu said, “I am not going to talk about former President Obasanjo’s letter because I am going to make some consultations with the United States, Germany, China and the United Kingdom. Then I will come back and speak on that letter.

“I think Obasanjo’s letter is not to the best interest of Nigeria. I don’t want to reply him because I have given you examples time without number.

”There are three express roads Obasanjo refused to build when he was the President of Nigeria. Port Harcourt-Okigwe-Umuahia-Enugu expressway. It is being built now by the Buhari administration.

“Another one is the Enugu-Awka-Onitsha expressway. It is being built now by the Buhari administration. Obasanjo did not build it. Then there is the Onitsha-Owerri-Aba expressway. The Buhari administration is building it now.

“Between Obasanjo and Buhari who should I call my friend in real terms? It is BUhari who is developing our region. With the roads, trailers loaded with manufactured goods in Aba will be able to reach their various destinations from the city. So Buhari is my friend; he is a better President.

“I don’t wish to reply that letter because the former President has no morals that should qualify him to write that letter.

“This is because he is the cause of many of the things that happening in this country today. I will make consultation to the intelligence community of the countries I have mentioned before I will reply Obasanjo’s letter.

“Obasanjo is not a worthy person to write that letter. Under the Obasanjo administration, $16 billion was spent on power plant but that money was wasted. Where we are now at the privately-owned domestic airport” You can hear the sound of generator. The electricity in the facility is being powered by generator. Where is the $16 billion spent on electricity?

“It is just that governments are not serious. If the different tiers of governments are serious they would address where the $16 billion meant for provision of power has gone. This should be addressed because people cannot be masquerading to be innocent when they are the biggest thief. You come to government with N20,000 and you become a multi-billionaire.

“You own banks, you own industries and you carry our money and give it to people to be doing something and you go around talking like an angel.

“Before June this year I will write my own letter to President Buhari and that letter will be explosive.

On President Buhari’s fight against corruption, Kalu said, “Buhari is fighting corruption. It is those who don’t know Buhari that will be saying that. You know that I supported Buhari in 2003 even when I was a PDP governor. It is in my house that he used to stay at Igbere.

“So I know the man very well; it is just that he is slow. The man needs people like him around him who will whip him up into action every morning to do the things he is supposed to do.

“He is the leader that we need now. Buhari is the man that can put things in order and moreover the four political parties in Igboland will endorse Buhari for President in 2019. All the parties including APC, PDP, APGA and PPA will endorse Buhari for 2019.

“All of us are going to vote for Buhari in 2019 in the South East for Buhari to go for another four years and we are not going to compromise that. So, Obasanjo can be writing his letter but we are going to vote for Buhari.”

On Buhari’s health Kalu said, “You are not his doctor to determine his state of health. You remember in June last year some people confronted me when I said that Buhari would come back healthier. I was abused by even journalists but I stood my ground and said this is what I know about the man’s state of health.

“The man is ready and willing to do his job. In 2019, you will see a new Buhari. He will make things work. He is being careful to avoid the mistakes of the past governments. We are going to energise him.