ALIENATING ABIA ELITES, MY GREATEST MISTAKE – ORJI KALU - VOWS TO FIGHT CORRUPTION TO STANDSTILL
POLITICS:
Former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has said
his greatest undoing during his eight year stint at the government house was
alienating the elites in Abia state.
This is even as he has hinted that he lobby for a one term
of six years for presidents and governors.
The ex-governor who said he will champion sustainable
democracy and fight corruption in the country through his nongovernmental organization,
the Orji Uzor Kalu foundation was
reacting to question in a programme Views From The Top aired on Channels Television.
Kalu who lamented that his greatest mistake as a governor
was not carrying the elites along, noted that he only cared about the masses on
the street as a governor.
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| Dr Orji Uzor Kalu. Orjikalu.com |
“Maybe I was very young when I was a governor. I was 38.
Maybe I was only thinking about the masses on the streets. I was not thinking
about the comfort zone of the rich people. I was all out for the poor people on
the streets. If I am given another opportunity, Ii will combine my politics
between the poor and the rich. I will like to also consult the rich and get
them on the table to discuss like I was discussing with the poor.
"The greatest mistake I made was alienating the elites
totally. I confess this anytime I speak to anybody. It couldn’t have cost me
anything to call them like I was calling the Labour Congress to tell them, this
is the amount of money we have; tell us how we will utilize it; you have to
factor the cost of my free education, free medical healthcare, workers’ salary
and teachers’ salary into it. So I could have just formed a committee of the
elites and explain this policy to them”, he said.
Kalu who is the publisher, The Sun newspapers said his next
project will be to ensure that he deepens democracy in the country and ensures corruption
is stamped out adding that though he will not be contesting for any elective
position, he will still be in active politics.
“Every Nigerian should participate in politics because it is
our uty. If we were not in politics for example, uring the third term saga it
could have gone through. Strong characters said no, this cannot happen. If we
are not in politics, these things happening today will not happen. It is not
everytime we are in the comfort zone. Sometimes also, we have to be in the discomfort
zone to be able to move forward.
“So when people ask me, I say, I am not interested in doing
party politics possibly not now or in the near future but I cannot stop doing
politics. Every human being is a political animal; moreover when my tribe and
Nigerians are economical with the truth. So how can I go leave the terrain
where truth should be told?
“I can go back to corporate life tomorrow which is what I
have done. I am not talking about politics. I am retiring to be doing farming
in my village. You find that these things are like that but you cannot totally
leave politics and moreover I must have a stake and interest in politics in
Nigeria. Even when I am not running for politics in Nigeria, I must have a
stake and say in politics. I don’t pretend about it and I don’t want to make
you feel good about it. I must be in the business of politics. Now APC has won,
I must know all they promises they have made and I must continue asking them
questions.
“Let me tell you in the next four to eight years, I will be
working on a project. We might start with Buhari. That project will be to o six
years in one term. I have been saying this. Look at the amount spent doing
politics in the name of running for president. Look at the amount of time spent
for re-election. This economy nearly collapsed because people are running for
re-election. My immediate duty is to talk about six years for one term and it
might start with Buhari.
My nongovernmental organization, Orji Uzor kalu Foundation
will step out. I am going to partner with some people from the north. One of them
will be my CEO. We are going to fight bills to make sure that we extend the
tenure of presidents and governors to six years. We are a developing country.
We cannot afford to be spending billions of dollars every time in election.
Food is more important than what we have done. I am going to play a big role
for advocacy for sustainable democracy. The democracy is fragile. We need to do
everything. I am going to be putting time in the foundation to help remove
corrupt officers. We need to fight corruption. It is not by mere word of mouth.
It is by attitude of the people,” he said.
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