HEDA, the anti-corruption NGO, is asking the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to take more than a passing interest in the substance of allegations and counter-allegations of corruption between Chief Umeh Kalu, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the state and Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly.
HEDA says in a one-page petition to that effect that claims made by each of the two are worthy of investigation as a prelude to the law taking its course.
Neither the ICPC nor any of the former AG and the Speaker have responded by way of comments yet.
The petition reads:
20th December 2021
Professor Bolaji Owasanoye SAN
Chairman
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)
Plot 802, Constitution Avenue
Zone A9, Central Business District
Federal Capital Territory
Abuja
Dear Sir,
PETITION AGAINST CHIEF UMEH KALU SAN (FORMER AG AND COMMISSIONER OF JUSTICE, ABIA STATE) AND RT. HON. CHINEDUM ENYINNAYA ORJI (SPEAKER, ABIA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY)
I write in respect of the above subject matter.
Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), a leading Anti-Corruption Organization in Nigeria is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and Non-partisan Human Rights and Development league. It has the mandate to protect and promote universally recognized human rights, accountability and environmental justice in Nigeria and Africa, in accordance with International standards. These objectives are pursued through research and publications, campaigns, human rights education and empowerment projects and programmes.
In a response by the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Orji, to the public letter of Chief Umeh Kalu SAN (former Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Abia State) to the Governor of Abia State, the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, made quite a number of allegations against the former Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice. The allegation ranges from owning properties like Shoprite in Umuahia while in office and carted away with more than six official government vehicles and converted them to personal use.[1]
In his response to the Honorable Speaker, Chief Kalu SAN out-rightly denied all the allegations made against him. He went further to make some allegations against the Honorable Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly. These allegations include: addiction to cocaine and hard drugs, solicitation of government’s contract, murder, inflation of contract to refurbish the House of Assembly complex and collected ₦33,000,000 (Thirty Three Million Naira) for a Toyota Hilux with a competitive asking price of ₦18,000,000 (Eighteen Million Naira).[2]
In view of all the above weighty allegations coming from two senior citizens of Abia State with a handful of sensitive government information, we kindly request the Commission to investigate all the allegations made in the public letters and prosecute anyone found culpable in this distasteful act of corrupt practices and financial misappropriation which has deprived the citizen of Abia State from enjoying dividend of democracy.
We thank you and look forward to a diligent investigation and action on this petition as you are assured of our usual cooperation.
Yours faithfully,
Signed
Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju
Chairman
[1] https://thesouthernexaminer.com/speaker-ex-attorney-general-in-war-of-words-of-state-of-affairs-in-abia-p6794-177.htm
[2] https://osunreporters.com/2021/12/umeh-kalu-san-to-abia-state-speaker-chinedu-orji-ikuku-you-killed-your-personal-assistant-do-cocaine-and-abuse-hard-drugs/