Days after his release from prison, Kalu storms Senate to resume duty

Per Second NewsJune 9, 2020363

Just back from Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, Abia Senator and former Gov. Orji Uzor Kalu on Tuesday stormed the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly to take his seat at the plenary.

Kalu, who represents Abia North in the Senate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had been away for six months.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan had welcomed Kalu back to the hallowed chambers.

Kalu pledged better days for his constituents while speaking with newsmen shortly after his arrival at the National Assembly Complex.

The Senate Whip and ex-Abia governor said his goal was to complete the task he had not attended to in the last six months.

“There is hope. A lot of things still needed to be done. You people should allow me go and do the job I have not done for my constituency,” Kalu said.ln spite of the protest last week calling for his replacement, Kalu said his constituents still believed in him because of his track record as a governor.

“They know I was action governor and I am going to be action senator; so there is no problem.“My constituency and Nigerians, we need to focus our agenda to them. Let’s keep hope alive and see what the future brings,” he said, expressing appreciation to God for the release.

PerSecondNews recalls that Kalu was sentenced to 12 years in prison for N7.65 billion fraud by a Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Mohammed Idris on Dec. 5, 2019.

But the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision by a seven-member panel led by Justice Amina Augie, on May 8 this year, held that the Federal High Court in Lagos acted without jurisdiction when it convicted Kalu, his firm — Slok Nigeria Ltd and a former Director of Finance in Abia State, Jones Udeogu, in December last year.

The verdict of the apex court was not categorical on whether Kalu should be released from prison or not and his lawyers decided to approach a Federal High Court in Lagos for the interpretation of the judgment