Abia Rerun: Accept Defeat, Leave us Alone, ATN Advises Kalu

Abia Rerun: Accept Defeat, Leave us Alone, ATN Advises Kalu

Following the victory of Senator Mao Ohuabunwa in the just concluded Abia North Senatorial Rerun election in Abia State, in which the former Governor of the state, Orji Uzor Kalu, was defeated by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abia Transparency Network (ATN)  has called on the former governor to accept his defeat in good faith and move forward.

The group urged Kalu to leave the people of Abia North alone as “he lacks the capacity and patriotism to represent them,” lamenting that the former governor’s eight years in the state government house was allegedly characterized by graft, corruption and voodoo.

ATN in a statement made available to journalists made the appeal while addressing a world press conference recently  in Ohafia, decrying that Kalu and his supporters have as usual, resorted to name calling, blackmail and propaganda.

“They alleged that the ‘Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) goofed by announcing  Ohuabunwa as the winner of the election,” the statement noted.

Leader of ATN, Mazi Kanu Ikeogu, in the statement, said: “It is a well-known fact that Ohuabunwa won the election in a transparent manner. The electoral verdict delivered on 5th March 5, 2016, is a clarion call to Kalu to leave Abia State politics alone.

“ Kalu mismanaged the resources of the state for eight years, stole our common patrimony and allegedly carted away equipment meant to revive the state newspaper (Ambassador) to Lagos to establish his tabloid which has been waging a relentless campaign of calumny against  Ohuabunwa. Before the election, the former governor had boasted that he will win the election with a landslide.”

Ikeogu noted that Kalu’s rejection at the polls was a wake-up call to all public officers who  the electorate in Nigeria can no longer be taken for a ride, adding that “the days of impunity are over.

“Kalu had his days but wasted it. A visit to his palatial home in his native town (Igbere) will expose him to public. The Sun newspaper is fast losing its credibility because of its partisanship and bias.”

ATN, therefore, appealed to Ohuabunwa not to allow himself to be distracted by Kalu and his supporters.