By Eshioromeh Sebastian
Former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has alleged that he financed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s return to politics and the formative activities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), only to be repaid with betrayal and the destruction of his businesses.
Kalu made the claim on Monday night while appearing on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme, recalling how he deployed personal resources to fund party meetings, aircraft, allowances and other activities aimed at strengthening the PDP in its early years.
According to the senator, Obasanjo stayed at his Victoria Island residence in Lagos after his release from prison, and he personally financed his transportation and political activities.
“I was very happy, but I became a fool before the PDP because after bringing all the money, they turned against me,” Kalu said.
He disclosed that he began providing financial support before other wealthy Nigerians joined the effort to build the party.
“I wasn’t the only one with money; to be honest, people like the former vice president Atiku Abubakar had money, Yomi Edun had money, and many other people, and in the end, TY Danjuma brought in a lot of money to the party,” he said.
Kalu explained that his involvement was driven by the desire to establish a formidable political party capable of ending military rule in Nigeria.
“So I was the one funding the meetings, aircraft, paying honorariums to people, cooking food, and the rest of them. For me, it was a joyful thing to make sure that we had a strong party to drive away the military, and that was the PDP,” he stated.
The senator insisted that his emergence as Abia State governor was not a favour granted by the PDP, arguing that he could have won the governorship election on another political platform.
He maintained that he provided crucial financial support when the party was struggling to establish itself, and expressed disappointment that his sacrifices were allegedly rewarded with political hostility and the destruction of his businesses.
He said he funded Obasanjo’s aircraft movements and other expenses without receiving any meaningful benefit in return.
“They didn’t do anything for me; what I got in return was the killing of my businesses,” he lamented.
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