Abia rerun: Group asks Kalu to accept defeat

Following the victory of Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa in the just concluded Abia North Senatorial Re-run election, in which the former governor of the state Orji Uzor Kalu was defeated by the candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, a group, Abia Transparency Network has called on the former governor to accept his defeat in good faith.

The group, in a statement made available to our correspondent, made the appeal while addressing a world press conference on Wednesday in Ohafia, saying that Kalu and his goons had as usual resorted to name calling, blackmail and propaganda alleging that the ‘Independent National Electoral Commission goofed by announcing Senator Mao Ohuabunwa as the winner of the election’.

Leader of the group, Mazi Kanu Ikeogu said, “It is a well-known fact that Senator Mao Ohuabunwa won the election in a transparent manner. The electoral verdict delivered on 5th March, 2016 is a clarion call on Orji Kalu to leave Abia politics alone.

“Orji Uzor Kalu mismanaged the resources of Abia state for eight years, stole our common patrimony and allegedly carted away equipment meant to revive Abia State newspaper (Ambassador) to Lagos to establish his tabloid which has been waging a relentless campaign of calumny against Sen Mao Ohuabunwa. Before the election, Orji Uzor Kalu had boasted that he will win the election with a landslide.”

He noted that Kalu’s rejection at the polls, was a wake-up call to all public officers that the electorate in Nigeria can no longer be taken for a ride adding that “the days of impunity are over. “

Ikeogu said, “Orji Kalu had his days but wasted it. A visit to his palatial home in his native town (Igbere) will expose him to public odium. The Sun newspaper is fast losing its credibility because of its partisanship and bias.”