PDP chief to Senate: Declare convicted Orji Uzor Kalu's seat vacant now

Orji Kalu is currently in jail Source: Depositphotos

Orji Uzor Kalu, though in prison over issues of corruption as governor of Abia state, could be facing a new challenge - The senator's constituents are said to be planning to recall him from the National Assembly since they claim they are not adequately represented - A politician, Chief Charles Ike, is asking the National Assembly to declare Kalu's seat vacant Orji Uzor Kalu, the jailed former governor of Abia, could be in for another challenge as a top member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia, Chief Charles Ike, is asking the Senate to declare his seat at the National Assembly vacant. Kalu, a member of the Senate, has been in prison since 2019 following the ruling of a court on allegations of corruption while in office as governor.

Ike said his seat should be declared vacant since he is serving a jail term and cannot, therefore, carry out his functions as a senator.

The Nation quotes the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as reporting that Ike spoke in Umuahia, the capital of Abia state, on Saturday, February 22. He argued that with the prison sentence of Kalu, his constituents are living in the dark while other areas of the state are enjoying adequate representation. He also revealed that the constituents are already putting plans in place to recall Kalu from the Senate. Legit.ng earlier reported that David Onuoha Bourdex, a member of Board of Trustees (BoT) of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), recently urged the National Assembly not to declare Kalu's seat vacant as a result of his jail term. Bourdex also took a swipe at politicians who he claimed were asking the legislative arm of the federal government to declare that Abia North district seat was vacant. Speaking with journalists, Bourdex had said that declaring Kalu’s seat vacant would amount to undermining the electoral preferences of the people.
The political chief urged ambitious politicians to respect the wishes of the electorate that voted for Kalu. Bourdex said though Kalu was facing some challenges, it would be presumptuous to declare his seat vacant when he still had the option of appealing his conviction. Meanwhile, there is an increase in the number of those who want the probe of Theodore Orji, another former governor of Abia state, and his son, Chinedu Orji, over issues of alleged corruption.

In a new development, Abians for Equity, a socio-cultural group in the state has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to show determination in probing the former governor. Orji was alleged to have looted the state treasury to the tune of N150 billion when he was the governor of the state.