Nigerian Tribune Report:  Former Abia State governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, left a debt burden of N29.2 billion without a kobo in the account as credit balance, when he left the saddle in 2007, national chairman of the Progressive Peoples Alliance(PPA), Lisa Olu Akerele, has disclosed.

Akerele said in a press statement in Abuja on Monday, that Chief Kalu owed the banks N19.2 billion; debts to local contractors were N7.9 billion, pension harmonisation arrears N600 million, while gratuities were in arrears was to the tune of N1.4 billion as of May 2007.

He noted that monthly interests on the loans were so high that they depleted the state’s allocation from the Federation Account “which suffered deductions at source for these unwarranted debts.”

He said that these debt weighed down heavily on the performance of the governor, Chief Theodore Orji, who in spite of these debts had continued to forge ahead in the development of Abia State.

Akerele maintained that most of the bank loans were sourced by Chief Kalu for personal businesses and ingratiation of his hirelings, who now stood behind him in the PPA.

He disclosed, that much of the presidential campaign expenses of Chief Kalu in 2007 were sourced from the state coffers, urging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to gather more information from the state government in order to ensure a conviction of the former governor standing trial.

Akerele also advised Governor Orji to open up to the EFCC on his former boss so that an iron cast case could be established against Chief Kalu to nail him once and for all, over his financial recklessness and the plundering of Abia State resources.

Theodore Orji


What the Tribune story did not state was that the current governor of Abia, Theodore Orji was part of the looting gang that operated in the state from 1999 to 2003. Mrs. Eunice Kalu owns a $1.7 million house in Texas. Theodore Orji was installed governor after pledging to permit the Kalus to continue their stranglehold on the resources of Abia State. And he became governor in an election whose massive rigging was supervised by Maurice Iwu, the criminally minded former chair of INEC.

In fact, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrested Theodore Orji shortly after his nomination as the gubernatorial candidate for the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) – from which he has now jumped ship. The EFCC alleged that Orji, along with three other arrested senior Abia State officials, embezzled close to 40 billion naira (320 million USD) on behalf of Orji Uzor Kalu.

SOurce please!

How much of that money did Akerele get. He was friends with Kalu until the fell out.

According to Sahara Reporters, this is the house

I believe that Kalu stole Abia money. But we should bear in mind that he was already a serious multi millionaire before becoming a governor. Why he should still steal state money beats me. Greed.

Mr Fire:

I believe that Kalu stole Abia money. But we should bear in mind that h[b]e was already a serious multi millionaire before becoming a governor[/b]. Why he should still steal state money beats me. Greed.

Na so all of dem dey all always talk!!

Mr Fire:

I believe that Kalu stole Abia money. But we should bear in mind that he was already a serious multi millionaire before becoming a governor. Why he should still steal state money beats me. Greed.

indeed he was. Do you have a source for his income back then?

@poster,
what u have here is a dry and incomplete story.
when did this stealing take place and why is it coming out now from ur source?
again, if your source was able to establish how much debt kalu left for T. Orji, he shld be able to tell us how much kalu inherited from his predecessor either in debt or in surplus.
again, t.orji must by now either incurred debt or amazed excess wealth for the state and these are some of the things that will make ur story complete.

Kobojunkie:

indeed he was. Do you have a source for his income back then?

No I do not. He is also a US permanent residence and his immediate family are US citizens. The guy was far back, made but he is also a greedy incompetent eediot.

D judiciary wuld av allowd obj to deal wit tat rugged aba boy. Wen u get to abia state u wil knw d damage tis pple has don. D youths ar jobles,kidnappn has bcom d highest employer.