Kalu seeks unfreezing of account, removal of name from N7.1b fraud case
Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Abia State Governor, Onyebuchi Ememanka, has reacted to rumours of Okezie Ikpeazu’s plan to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This followed the governor’s recent reception of the leader of APC in the state and Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu at his Umuobiakwa country home in Obingwa Council of the state.
Ikpeazu and his aides, who were already waiting for the visit, received Kalu, who arrived the governor’s resident on Friday, January 7, 2022 at 1:32 p.m.
Shortly after the pleasantries, Ikpeazu proceeded to an inner room with Kalu for a private meeting.
However, while dismissing the notions in many quarters regarding Ikpeazu’s alleged plans to defect to the APC, Ememanka lamented the reactions that have continued to trail Kalu’s visit to Ikpeazu, saying that the development had shown that a lot of people were more interested in empty conspiracy theories.
He insisted that the governor was a different man and that he would always receive his visitors, especially his predecessors in office.
Those who know Ikpeazu well will tell you that even when you have disagreements with him based on political ideologies, it doesn’t affect his relationship with you.
“He is not the kind of governor who will refuse to entertain a former governor, who requests a visit simply because they don’t agree politically.
“The visit has absolutely nothing to do with defection. No such issue came up during their discussion. If anyone will defect on account of that visit, it is certainly not Governor Ikpeazu,” he said.
Ememanka reaffirmed Ikpeazu’s loyalty to the PDP, adding: “Ikpeazu remains a member and leader of the PDP and he will lead the party to victory in Abia State in 2023.”
MEANEHILE, Kalu has filed an application at the Federal High Court Abuja seeking the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unfreeze his bank account and remove his name and Slok Nigeria Limited from the N7.1 billion charge leveled against him.
Kalu’s lawyer, Ikoro Ikoro, said the application was based on the judgment of Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, which was delivered on September 29, 2021, which barred the Federal Government from retrying him.
Kalu, who is the Chief Whip of the Senate and representative ofAbia North Senatorial District, argued that having been freed, it behooved him to apply to the court to formally strike out his name and Slok from the charge sheet.
However, the Federal Government had faulted Kalu’s requests to unfreeze his accounts and the striking out of his name from a pending money laundering charge.
