Akwari Counters Orji Uzor Kalu, Sets Record Straight on Ben Kalu’s Political Rise

A high Chief from Item, Bende LGA, Abia state, Chief Daniel Akwari has described as “tissue of lies” and unfounded, the allegations made by the former Governor of Abia state and the current Senator, representing Abia North senatorial district, Chief Orji Uzor- Kalu concerning the rise of the Deputy speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu.

In a viral video, Senator Orji Uzor-Kalu had boasted how he was the person who made the Deputy Speaker and the member representing Bende Federal constituency whose rise in Nigerian politics and currently occupies the enviable No. 6th position in the hierarchy of Nigeria, a position that has attracted him both love, admiration and envy.

In his audio made available to newsmen, Chief Akwari said the clarification has become necessary so as not to allow people to take home the single storyline of Orji Kalu which he describes as baseless lies. Chief Akwari said he made his own video because he wants to, especially to debunk the claim by Sen Orji Uzor Kalu about how he made Benjamin Kalu. Akwari said, the social media outburst and the video made by distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Senator representing Abia North, were unnecessary.

He decried that a statement in the video, made by Orji Kalu is filled with lies and deceit.

“It’s better to keep the narrative pure for evidence of doubt, and for the rest of our teaming fans, our teaming electorate, and not to confuse them the more”, Akwari said.

Chief Akwari, while acknowledging the fact that Benjamin Okezie Kalu is not in any way related to Orji Uzor Kalu in terms of birth, rather they are from Bende Local Government Area, Abia state and by virtue of the traditional and cultural values of the people, you can call them brothers but this does not translate as biological brothers, saying, he’s clarifying public interest.

Chief Akwari equivocally faulted Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu where he said Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu started both his politics and business from his house.

“That is where I have these pit holes and I want to say this because I’ve been there from the beginning. Benjamin Kalu did not in any way, shape or form, build his business and political training in Orji Uzor Kalu’s house. It may interest you to know. Benjamin Kalu first got his political baptism of fire from his earlier days in the University of Calabar, as a student union activist. He took that to the diaspora where he actually midwifed and became one of the founding fathers of NIDO ( Nigeria’s in Diaspora organisation).

After that, he became a foundation member of ANIK. (All Nigerian Nationals in Diaspora).

He was also a founding member of “Ani Eze Ndi Igbo” in Diaspora, not forgetting that he was also the first Chairman. of PDP in the Diaspora. That was when the then President Olusegun Obasanjo noticed him and sent him to Alhaji Onyediko, then Deputy Chairman of PDP South and also to his Excellency, Donald Duke, then Governor of Cross Rivers state who later invited him over,” Chief Akwari explains in his video and audio.

He continued, “I am trying to lay this background so you can see where his political life cuts across. It’s his political and intense activities and build-up that encouraged him and gave him latitude to contest for the House of Representatives seat in 2003 after he came back to Nigeria and didn’t just come like, anybody. He came as a Gubernatorial aspirant, but at the same time, ended up, contesting for the House of Representatives, when it became obvious that the government of the day had their own candidate who is also my own brother, Hon. Maja Mbah then a traditional ruler, but decided to drop the traditional institution to go for the House of Representatives. So, you see Ben was actually contesting with somebody that the government has given a nod.

Akwari insists that Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu then, came in with style, flex and swag to change the narratives and would later become the most popular young man in Bende, Federal Constituency.

Akwari insists that, despite the attacks on Ben, born out of envy, everybody is looking for him, because of the way he does things, with stylistic elegance.

He also posits that in business, Ben Kalu is a maverick, an independent creative thinker both in Nigeria and the diaspora. He played among the 1st 11 of Nigeria and had his hand cut across almost all the pie as far as entrepreneurship is concerned. He had his own industry that was in charge of everything that had to do with stationery and machines. He has a clothing company that clothes the South African Defence Force, including the army and police, and a furniture company.

Chief Akwari said, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu is deeply involved in the real estate business and was the first Nigerian to be given a license to deal with Western Union when it was like a taboo to give the right to a black man, but he got that, which helped to ease the financial challenges of most Nigerians and other blacks in the country.

As if that is not enough, Ben had a financial license with a company called 247, wherein he even entered an agreement with almost all the security companies as they come for soft loans, with their pay slip and negotiate for a soft loan pending when they get their salaries, then they come back to sort themselves out.

“So I’m talking about somebody big up there, both in finance and also in politics. So he didn’t just come to Nigeria as nobody, he came in and from that time he came in, he started financing both Bende Local Government politics and the Old Bende PDP political meeting even at the state level.

So these are some of the areas where I want to put more light. Much as I appreciate the two leaders coming together, it’s actually the right thing to do because, two good heads are better than one.

Both Sen. Orji Uzor-Kalu and Rt. Hon. Ben Kalu is our icon. They are awesome sons, who are doing us proud. But I had to make this long narrative to keep the records straight for the interest of upcoming people who may not know some of these things.

Ben did not start politics and business in Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s house and will not end there because he didn’t start there. One other thing is that, sometimes, His Excellency, Sen. Uzor Kalu stayed there and there are cameras and phones around but he didn’t capture those meetings, because he needed to respect the privacy of the Distinguished Senator. So, what they discuss remains personal. So that is just what I was saying. When Ben was returning, this visit, was to reciprocate goodwill and it’s very important for symbiotic gestures. Then there is this camera everywhere that is now making what is supposed to be a private meeting a public issue, which is just where my concern is coming from. So just like how my people will always say. Ona wu otowu uto e wepu aru.

My wish is for them to be able to find peace through this, in the interest, of the followers and the Abia people. It costs you less when there’s peace, and I mean that peace that passeth all understanding. Thank you and God bless you, Chief Daniel Akwari concludes.”