Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has said he provided money for meetings, aircraft and other logistics during the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He also claimed that he funded the movements of former President Olusegun Obasanjo after he was released from prison.
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Kalu made the claims during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday night. He said he was not the only wealthy person involved in the party’s formation, but he was the one paying for meetings, aircraft, food and other expenses.
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What Kalu Said
According to Kalu, he funded the PDP because he wanted to help build a strong political party that could end military rule and restore democracy in Nigeria.
He said other people, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Yomi Edu and General Theophilus Danjuma, also contributed money to the party. But he insisted that he was the one who provided the money needed for the party’s early activities.
Kalu said he felt betrayed after putting so much money and effort into the PDP, claiming that party members later turned against him.
When it was suggested that he benefited from the party by becoming Abia State governor, Kalu rejected the claim. He said being governor was nothing compared to what he gave to the PDP.
He said, “Governor means nothing for what I gave to them. I gave them live wire. When people had no money, I brought in the money to form the party.”
Kalu also said he supported Obasanjo after the former president was released from prison. He claimed that Obasanjo stayed in his house in Victoria Island and that he helped pay for his aircraft and travel expenses.
He said, “When President Obasanjo came out of prison, he was in my house. He used to be in Victoria Island. I started funding him, started funding his aircraft, started hiring aircraft and bringing my own aircraft to take him.”
Kalu said that instead of getting something good in return, his businesses suffered.
The senator said his involvement in politics contributed to the collapse of some of his businesses. He said he was financially successful before entering public office.
Kalu governed Abia State from 1999 to 2007. He had earlier claimed that he gave the PDP its first N500 million and contributed more than N100 million towards Obasanjo’s 1998 presidential campaign.
He also alleged that the party later took over his bank, airline and oil licence.
Kalu also spoke about his relationship with former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida. He described Babangida as his mentor and said he still respected him.
When asked if he received financial benefits from the relationship, Kalu denied it. He said, “I had a lot of friendly benefits from that relationship.”
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