Former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of betraying him despite the huge financial support he provided during the party’s formative years.
Kalu, who represents Abia North in the Senate, claimed that he financed Obasanjo’s political activities following his release from prison, only for his businesses to suffer after the PDP came to power.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Monday night, the former governor recalled how he spent his personal resources funding party meetings, aircraft, allowances and other activities aimed at strengthening the PDP.
“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 Obasanjo stayed at his Victoria Island residence in Lagos after his release from prison, adding that he personally financed his transportation and political activities.
According to him, 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.
Kalu 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.
