Orji Uzor Kalu

{{Short description|Nigerian politician and businessman (born 1960)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|image =

|caption =

|office = Senator for Abia North

|term_start = 11 June 2019

|term_end =

|predecessor = Mao Ohuabunwa

|successor =

|office1 = Senate Majority Whip

|term_start1 = 2 July 2019

|term_end1 = 11 June 2023

|predecessor1 =

|successor1 = Mohammed Ali Ndume

|office2 = 7th Governor of Abia State

|deputy2 = {{ubl|Enyinnaya Abaribe
(1999–2003)|Chima Nwafor
(2003–2006)|Acho Nwakanma
(2006–2007)}}

|term_start2 = 29 May 1999

|term_end2 = 29 May 2007

|predecessor2 = Anthony Obi

|successor2 = Theodore Orji

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|4|21|df=y}}

|birth_place = Abia State, Nigeria

|occupation = Politician
Businessperson

|party = All Progressives Congress

|education = Bachelor of Arts degree

|alma_mater = Abia State University

}}

Orji Uzor Kalu (born 21 April 1960) is a Nigerian politician and businessman who is the senator representing Abia North Senatorial District.{{cite news|date=15 January 2022|title=How I became billionaire – Orji Uzor Kalu|work=Premium Times|last=Ukpong|first=Cletus|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/505865-how-i-became-billionaire-orji-uzor-kalu.html|access-date=23 September 2024}} He served as governor of Abia State from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. Kalu is the chairman of SLOK Holding and the Daily Sun and New Telegraph newspapers in Nigeria.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/orji-uzor-kalu/|title=Orji Uzor Kalu|magazine=Forbes|access-date=10 February 2020}}

Prior to his election, he served as the chairman of the Borno Water Board and the chairman of the Cooperative and Commerce Bank Limited. Kalu was also a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and the chairman of the PPA Board of Trustees. He was the party's presidential candidate in the April 2007 general election.{{cite web|url=http://orjikalu.com/|title=Governor Orji Uzor Kalu|access-date=23 September 2024|website=Orjikalu.com}} He is currently a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) after he officially announced his resignation as the PPA BOT chair.

Orji Uzor Kalu contested in the 2019 Nigerian general election to represent the people of Abia North in the senate, running under the banner of All Progressives Congress. He defeated the incumbent senator Mao Ohuabunwa with over 10,000 votes.{{cite news|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/orji-kalu-wins-abia-north-seat-onyejiocha-wins-reps/|last=Okoli|first=Anayo|title=Orji Kalu wins Abia North seat, Onyejiocha wins Reps|date=24 February 2019|work=Vanguard|access-date=23 September 2024}}{{cite news|date=12 January 2022|title=2023: Orji Uzor Kalu wants Presidency zoned to South-East|url=https://guardian.ng/news/2023-orji-uzor-kalu-wants-presidency-zoned-to-south-east/|access-date=21 February 2022|work=The Guardian}}

Background

Kalu was born to the family of Mr. Johnson Uzor Nesiegbe Kalu and Mrs Eunice Kalu.

With only $35 to his name that he had borrowed from his mother, Kalu began trading palm oil, first buying the oil from Nigeria's eastern regions and then selling it in the country's northern regions.{{cite news|url=http://ynaija.com/politico/i-was-also-the-first-to-give-obasanjo-n100m-to-campaign-during-the-1999-election-orji-uzor-kalu/|work=YNaija 2015|title="I was also the first to give Obasanjo N100m to campaign during the 1999 election" – Orji Uzor Kalu|date=19 May 2013|access-date=30 May 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130706074523/http://ynaija.com/politico/i-was-also-the-first-to-give-obasanjo-n100m-to-campaign-during-the-1999-election-orji-uzor-kalu/|archive-date=6 July 2013}} He then began buying and reselling furniture on a large scale.

Kalu eventually established SLOK Holding, a conglomerate that would consist of a number of successful companies, including the Ojialex Furniture Company, SLOK Nigeria Limited, SLOK United Kingdom Limited, Adamawa Publishers Limited, SLOK Vegetable Oil, Aba, SLOK Paper Factory, Aba, SLOK United States Incorporated, SLOK Ghana, Togo, Cotonou, Guinea, South Africa, Liberia, Botswana, SLOK Korea, Supreme Oil Limited, SLOK Airlines, Sun Publishing Limited, and First International Bank Limited.

Kalu became the youngest Nigerian to receive the National Merit Award from President Ibrahim Babangida, at the age of 26 in 1986. He was selected as the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce's Industrialist of the Year, and awarded the Humanitarian Award of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka's Humanitarian Club, the Volunteer Award of the International Association of Volunteers, the National Merit Award, the EU Special Award in Brussels, and the World Bank Leon Sullivan Award.

Education

He attended Christ the King School Aba and Government College Umuahia. After studying at Barewa College, Zaria, he enrolled in the University of Maiduguri where he studied political science.{{cite web|title=Orji Kalu at 57: The Story of An Icon|work=This Day|date=22 April 2017| url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/04/22/orji-kalu-at-57-the-story-of-an-icon|access-date=2 June 2023}} During his time at the university, Kalu became a student activist, and participated in the "Ali Must Go"{{cite news|url=https://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-9478.html|work=Country-Data|title=Nigeria: Student Organizations|date=11 August 2008 | access-date=30 May 2013}} riots against the education minister.{{cite news|url=http://saharareporters.com/article/orji-kalu%E2%80%99s-braggadocio|agency=Sahara Reportersm|title=Orji Kalu's Braggadocio|date=14 October 2010|access-date=30 May 2013}} His participation resulted in his suspension. While his fellow students later took the school authorities to court, Kalu left school to build his own business.{{cite news|url=http://www.strategicbusinessteam.com/successful-entrepreneurs/orji-uzor-kalu-billionaire-drop-out-and-owner-of-the-slok-group/|work=Strategic Business Team|title=Orji Uzor Kalu: Nigerian Billionaire and founder of Slok Group|date=11 August 2008|access-date=30 May 2013}}

Kalu has a degree from Abia State University, a Certificate in Business Administration from Harvard University and honorary doctorates from the universities of Maiduguri and Abia State.

Corporate and political background

Kalu headed First International Bank Limited at the age of 33.{{cite news|url=http://slokshipping.com/about-us.php?sect=4|work=SLOK Shipping Ltd.|title=The Team|date=11 August 2008|access-date=30 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130918222856/http://slokshipping.com/about-us.php?sect=4|archive-date=18 September 2013|url-status=dead}} He also stewarded Nigerian commercial relations with China's SinoPacific Shipbuilding company while serving as a principal of SLOK Holding.{{cite news|url=http://www.maritime.com.pl/newsletter/indexm.php?id_term=63666|work=Morski Wortal|title=SINOPACIFIC Inked a New Order of 6 OSVs|date=24 July 2012|access-date=30 May 2013}}

On 11 July 2007, Kalu was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on charges of corruption while serving as the governor of Abia State.{{cite news|date=11 July 2007|access-date=20 May 2010|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6292578.stm|agency=BBC News|title=Two Nigeria ex-governors arrested}} He was later released on bail, and accused the Obasanjo regime of persecuting him during and after his tenure in office, an accusation mentioned by former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell in his book, "Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink."{{cite book|title=Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink|last=Campbell|first=John|date=16 December 2010|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=9781442206892|location=Lanham, Md.}}

Kalu has been a staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, a "close friend and father, who deserves all the support to make Nigeria better."{{cite news|url=http://dailypost.ng/2017/07/25/will-continue-defend-buhari-orji-kalu/|title=Why I will continue to defend Buhari – Orji Kalu|date=25 July 2017|work=Daily Post|access-date=2 October 2017}}

On 8 August 2023, he was named the chairman, Senate committee on privatization in the 10th senate.{{cite news|last=Aborisade|first=Sunday|work=This Day|title=Lawan, Yari, Tambuwal, Oshiomhole, Sani Musa, Others Emerge Senate Committee Chairmen|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/08/08/lawan-yari-tambuwal-oshiomhole-sani-musa-others-emerge-senate-committee-chairmen/|access-date=23 September 2024}}

Newspapers

Kalu is the chairman of the Daily Sun, a Nigerian daily print newspaper founded and published in Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.{{cite web|url=http://library.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/nigeria/nigerianews.html|title=Countries: Nigeria: News|publisher=Stanford University|access-date=23 February 2011|location=Stanford, California, USA|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104202824/http://library.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/nigeria/nigerianews.html|archive-date=4 November 2010}} The newspaper had a daily circulation of 130,000 copies as of 2011, and 135,000 for weekend titles, with an average of 80% sales. The Daily Sun was the highest selling newspaper in Nigeria https://www.newspapers-list.com/nigeria/the-sun-nigeria.php. The Daily Sun was incorporated on 29 March 2001, and began production as a weekly Newspaper on 18 January 2003, and as a daily newspaper on 16 June 2003. The newspaper is similar in format to The Sun in the United Kingdom.

Kalu is also the chairman of the New Telegraph, with a circulation of 100,000 copies per day. The newspaper targets domestic and foreign readers in major urban centers throughout the country and offers objective coverage of political, social, and cultural issues.{{cite news|url=http://africanheraldexpress.com/blog8/2014/02/03/new-telegraph-nigerias-first-independent-broadsheet-out-today/|work=African Herald Express|title="New Telegraph, Nigeria's First Independent Political Broadsheet Out Today"|date=3 February 2014|access-date=25 April 2014|archive-date=27 April 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427010719/http://africanheraldexpress.com/blog8/2014/02/03/new-telegraph-nigerias-first-independent-broadsheet-out-today/}}

Njiko Igbo Movement

Kalu is involved with the Njiko Igbo Movement, whose purpose is to help secure the presidential seat for a Nigerian citizen of Igbo extraction; an Igbo has only held the position of head of state for six months since Nigeria became a presidential republic in 1966.{{cite news|url=https://theeagleonline.com.ng/news/igbos-are-third-rate-citizens-in-nigeria-kalu/|work=The Eagle|title=Igbos are third rate citizens in Nigeria – Kalu|last=Adebowale|first=Segun|date=21 April 2013|access-date=23 September 2024}}

The movement has branches and support groups throughout the diaspora.{{cite news|url=http://sunnewsonline.com/new/columns/igbo-marginalisation-njiko-igbo-to-the-rescue/|work=The Daily Sun|title=Igbo marginalisation: Njiko Igbo to the rescue|date=4 May 2013|access-date=30 May 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508235523/http://sunnewsonline.com/new/columns/igbo-marginalisation-njiko-igbo-to-the-rescue/|archive-date=8 May 2013}} Kalu launched the organization together with former Nigerian Senator Emmanuel Onwe, a human rights advocate and lawyer earlier based in the United Kingdom.

Conviction

Kalu was convicted by the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court on Thursday, 5 December 2019 and sentenced to 12 years in prison for N7.65 billion fraud.{{cite web|last=AfricaNews|date=2019-12-05|title=Sen. Orji Kalu, ex-Nigerian governor, jailed 12 years over $20.9m fraud|url=https://www.africanews.com/2019/12/05/ex-nigerian-state-governor-jailed-12-years-over-209m-fraud/|access-date=2021-06-10|website=Africanews|language=en}} He was convicted for defrauding the government of Abia State where he was a governor for 8 years using his company, Slok Nigeria Limited. Days after the court ordered the forfeiture of the company, Nigeria anti graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC commenced the process of winding down Slok Nigeria Limited including The Sun Publishing Ltd which was not part of the charges. Consequently, The Sun Publishing Ltd approached a high Court in Lagos for interpretation of the judgment that convicted Kalu and Slok Nigeria Limited asking the court to compel EFCC to stay away from The Sun Publishing Ltd since it was not part of the court case.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecable.ng/sun-kicks-against-efccs-move-says-were-not-a-party-to-kalus-case|last=Adebulu|first=Taiwo|title=Sun kicks against EFCC's move, says 'we're not a party to Kalu's case'|date=14 December 2019|website=TheCable|access-date=23 September 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/368229-stop-efcc-from-sealing-sun-newspaper-management-writes-agf-malami.html|title=Stop EFCC from sealing Sun Newspaper, management writes AGF Malami|date=15 December 2019|access-date=10 February 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/12/outrage-as-efcc-seals-sun-newspapers/|title=Outrage as EFCC seals Sun Newspapers|date=14 December 2019|work=Vanguard|access-date=10 February 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2019/12/14/sun-newspaper-cries-out-as-efcc-threatens-closure/|title=Sun Newspaper cries out as EFCC threatens closure|date=14 December 2019|website=P.M. News|access-date=10 February 2020}} He was held in custody at the Ikoyi prisons in Lagos.

In December, Kalu filed a bail application at a Lagos High Court pending the determination of his appeal against his conviction. On 23 December 2019 the court rejected his bail application for lack of merit.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2019/12/23/hope-dashed-no-bail-orji-kalu-remains-in-prison/|title=Hope dashed, no bail: Orji Kalu remains in prison|date=23 December 2019|work=P.M. News|access-date=10 February 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://guardian.ng/news/orji-uzor-kalu-to-remain-in-prison-as-court-dismisses-bail-application/|title=Orji Uzor Kalu to remain in prison as court dismisses bail application|last=Erezi|first=Dennis|date=23 December 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=23 September 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thecable.ng/orji-kalu-to-spend-christmas-in-prison-as-court-dismisses-bail-application|title=Orji Kalu to spend Christmas in prison as court dismisses bail application|date=23 December 2019|website=TheCable|access-date=10 February 2020}}

On Friday, 8 May 2020, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that his trial was wrongly conducted and released him from prison while ordering a retrial.{{cite news|date=8 May 2020|title=Supreme Court nullifies Orji Kalu's conviction, orders fresh trial|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/391956-breaking-supreme-court-nullifies-orji-kalus-conviction-orders-fresh-trial.html|access-date=23 September 2024|last=Yahaya|first=Halimah|work=Premium Times}}

On Friday morning, the Supreme Court deemed Mr Kalu's conviction inappropriate and ordered a retrial of the case, according to multiple media reports out of the court.

A seven-member panel of the apex court, in a unanimous verdict delivered by Justice Ejembi Eko, declared that the conviction null and void, Channels TV reported Friday.

According to the report, Justice Eko declared that Justice Mohammed Idris, who convicted Mr Kalu, had already become a justice of the Court of Appeal, when he ruled and sentenced Mr Kalu and his co-defendant as a trial judge.

He held that a Justice of the Court of Appeal cannot operate as a judge of the Federal High Court, and ordered the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the case for trial. Kalu was released from the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service Kuje on Wednesday 3 June 2020.{{cite news|date=3 June 2020|title=Kalu Released from Prison|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/06/03/kalu-released-from-prison-2/|access-date=4 June 2020|work=This Day}}

Personal life

Kalu married Ms. Ifeoma Ada Menakaya in December 1989, and they got married in his hometown of Igbere, Abia State.{{cite news|title=Former governor Othi Kalu steps out with his wife|url=https://newsdayonline.com.ng/former-governor-abia-state-dr-orji-uzor-kalu-wife-ifunaya-welcome-us-ambassador-nigeria-james-entwistle-wife-pam-united-state-america-national-day-celebration/|work=Newsday|access-date=27 January 2019}}

He has four children namely: Neya Uzor Kalu, Michael Uzor Kalu, Olivia Uzor Kalu, and Nicole Uzor Kalu.{{cite magazine|last=Akinwale|first=Funsho|date=21 July 2018|title=Neya Orji Uzor Kalu expecting first child|url=https://guardian.ng/saturday-magazine/neya-orji-uzor-kalu-expecting-first-child/|access-date=24 June 2021|magazine=The Guardian Magazine}}{{cite news|title=Former Abia State Governor's Son, MICHAEL UZOR KALU Strikes Gold in Money Spilling Game Application….Making waves in United Kingdom|url=https://nigeriastandardnewspaper.com/ng/former-abia-state-governors-son-michael-uzor-kalu-strikes-gold-in-money-spilling-game-application-making-waves-in-united-kingdom-start-up-apps-multiplayer-game-records-over-30-million-downloads/|access-date=24 June 2021|archive-date=27 May 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527185931/https://nigeriastandardnewspaper.com/ng/former-abia-state-governors-son-michael-uzor-kalu-strikes-gold-in-money-spilling-game-application-making-waves-in-united-kingdom-start-up-apps-multiplayer-game-records-over-30-million-downloads/}}{{cite news|date=22 August 2018|title=Day Olivia, Nicole fed Jikoko community|url=https://thesun.ng/day-olivia-nicole-fed-jikoko-community/|access-date=23 September 2024|work=The Sun|last=Paulinu|first=Aidoghie}}

Timeline

1999: He was elected as the Governor of Abia State on People's Democratic Party (PDP).{{cite news|date=6 December 2019|title=TIMELINE: Orji Kalu's travails from Abia govt house to prison|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/366837-timeline-orji-kalus-travails-from-abia-govt-house-to-prison.html|access-date=23 September 2024|last1=Adebayo|first1=Taiwo-Hassan |last2=Kabir|first2=Adejumo}}
2003: He was re-elected as Governor.
2006: He left People's Democratic Party (PDP) and found Progressive People's Alliance (PPA).
2007: He contested for the Presidential Seat on the PPA platform.
2007: His corruption trial began and he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2007.
2011: He contested as the Abia North Senatorial candidate on the PPA platform.
2012: He re-joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
2015: He later returned to Progressive People's Alliance (PPA) to contest for the Senatorial Election.
2016: The Supreme court ruled that he should stand trial, this was nine years after his legal battle with the EFCC.
2016: He joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) political party.
2018: He was given the Title: Danbaiwan-Hausa (Gifted Son of Hausa kingdom) by the Emir of Daura in President Muhammadu Buhari's hometown.
2019: He contested for the Abia State Senatorial Election and he won.
2019: He was convicted and jailed 12 years for corruption in December 2019.
2020:He was released from prison by the judgement of the Supreme Court who ruled on Friday, 8 May that he was wrongfully convicted. The Supreme Court ordered a re-trial.