The South East spokesman of the Bola Tinubu presidential campaign council, Dr. Josef Onoh, has said that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is a double-faced politician who is insincere in his afterthought support for the Tinubu presidency.

Onoh warned that nobody should take Kalu seriously in his drowning political misadventure, recalling that Kanu’s choice for 2023 was for a person from the northeast to become the president of Nigeria, an opportunity he thought would feather his inordinate political quest against the people of southern Nigeria.

Onoh equated Kalu to the likes of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state whom he said have openly made themselves enemies of their own people, by deliberate and wrong political alignments against the letters and spirit of federal character and unity of Nigeria.

He, therefore stated that Orji Kalu’s later day shift of allegiance to Asiwaji Tinubu and all the irrelevant rhetoric he has dabbled in the past few hours, just to sell himself to Tinubu were hypocritical and Tinubu had long taken note of Kalu’s treacherous manners.

Onoh recalled that Kalu himself had in 2016 said that the Igbo were very good in commerce, and in anything they do but in politics, noting also that Kalu said a number of the elite in the southeast region were not only selfish but get their political calculations wrong, adding that the Abia Senator has by his present circus dance proved he is one of the same political elites and the grand master of wrong political calculations.

“He once said that if Babatunde Fashola, former Lagos state governor was an Ibo man he could have betrayed Bola Tinubu his predecessor, yet Fashola never did but the real Judas and the only Ibo man to do so was still the same Orji Uzor Kalu.

“On the 7th of December 2021, you the same Orji said there is enormous hatred, and betrayal in Nigeria and went on to say that the hatred, jealousy, betrayal, greed, and bitterness in Nigeria were enormous and terrible. You went on to say that People will just hate, curse, and envy one because one was successful, without considering how much hard work, energy, endurance, and patience one had expended in building businesses and his life.

“In your words, you said: ‘How I so much wish for love and empathy in this country. How I wish we could embrace and love each other. How I wish people could be more loving and considerate towards their neighbours with zero sentiments of tribe and language. How I wish people could have respect for human lives. I hope that with God on our side, our dreams will someday come true.

“Yet, you the same Orji forgot all these words despite now recollecting in your own words that for the past thirty years, you have been friends with Bola Tinubu and that the APC flag bearer has been good to you. I ask, going by your actions if such friendship was friends with benefits.

"You claimed that while two of your children were still going to secondary school in Lagos, they lived with Tinubu’s wife, our in-coming first lady of our country Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at Marina when they were going to school for over three years when they were going to school, even when you relocated back to Abia State, they were still living in Marina Government House.

“You said that you hold no grudge against Tinubu’s presidency, yet you supported Ahmad Lawan during the APC’s primary election. Is it not safe to say that only someone with personal and selfish interest or grudge can support another person against the family that showed him love and support for over 30 years?" Onoh chuckled.

He further lampooned the former Governor of Abia state, faulting Kalu’s feign that he thought the north and south had agreed to zone the presidency to the North East when prior to the primary elections the entire southern governors had made a declaration in Asaba in support for a southern President.

“Even if Orij Uzor Kalu was still in Kuje prison, I’m sure they allowed him to read newspapers and was up to date on that position. So, he betrayed not just Asiwaju, the people of Southern Nigeria and even his kindred who in the words of Ohanaeze youths council expressed their disappointment of having visited Kalu in Kuje prison and said they stood by rotational presidency and bemoaned his outburst and support for Senator Ahmad Lawan," he added.

Onoh also went down memory lane to recall that Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark on May 12 2022 tackled Orji Uzor Kalu for allegedly betraying the south-east and entire southern Nigeria by supporting the presidential aspiration of Senate President Ahmad Lawan, fuming that Kalu engaged in a blatant lie and fraud to say that the north-east was the nearest to the south-east in regions that have not produced the head of state or the president of Nigeria.

“Finally I put it to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu that his action before the primary elections isn’t the problem, but his actions afterAsiwaju had emerged. He kept silent all through and never projected Asiwaju to the electorates in the southeast, your body language remained evasive, Asiwaju in his normal respectful manner went ahead to pay you and your dear mother a courtesy visit and extended a hand of fellowship which guilty conscience made you unable to follow through.

“Your support for Senator Lawan was purely for your own selfish interest as you had hoped he will pick you as his vice presidential running mate, today your singing to high heavens on all media platforms in the guise of your support for Asiwaju which you and I know is all a smoke screen.

“The reason you’re showing support which is already too late, a few days to the election, is obvious: Asiwaju is coasting to victory and in your selfish smart political intelligence which sadly has failed you due to lack of modern updates, you anticipate that the APC will zone the Senate presidency to the southeast, and knowing that apart from Senator Izunaso of Imo state, you will be the highest-ranking APC Senator from the zone ( that’s if you win, which isn’t likely) hence you will emerge the Senate president.

“It would have been more respectful if you had supported Mr. Peter Obi who I hold in the highest esteem not because he is going to become the president but one of Southeast’s greatest sons. I’m forever proud of him and grateful we shared the same political times. Sadly you will not be the next Senate president.

“As much as you failed to cherish your 30 years of friendship with Asiwaju, I have a long family history with Asiwaju unlike you, I pitched my tent from the beginning with him, I wake up and sleep with Asiwaju’s mandate in my heart and mind, unlike you that forgot the support and warm hospitality he and his wife showed your two lovely children.

“On my part I didn’t forget Asiwaju’s support to my late father, H.E, Chief C.C Onoh during his multiple detentions for being a NADECO member and he was even in exile yet stood up for his friends and associates, hence my unflinching support for him is my own way of rewarding him for truly it’s Emilokan!” Onoh chided Kalu.(Vanguard)