Former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has dismissed claims linking him to the funding of Autopilot or any other militant group in the South-East, insisting he has never been involved in sponsoring violence.
In this interview with ARISE News on Sunday, Kalu addressed allegations by IPOB’s Emma Powerful, separatist agitation, insecurity, his relationship with President Tinubu, and controversies surrounding his daughter’s ambassadorial nomination.
Responding to IPOB’s claim that he financed Autopilot, Kalu said the allegation was baseless.
“I don’t know anything. I’ve never heard this name. I cannot sponsor anything. I was governor. I established the Bakassi, and the Bakassi was in charge. I think these kids should take Nigeria serious and take Igbo people serious.”
He explained that the Bakassi security outfit he set up as governor was for law and order.
“The Bakassi was not for boyfriend or for girlfriend. It was purely to police and keep our place safe. I have no regrets in doing it. If you give me the opportunity again, I will keep the place safe again.”
Kalu said agitators were destroying the same region they claim to defend.
“These guys should stop this old-fashioned way of doing things. They should think of how to move forward, how to use political solutions to sort out the Igbos. Nobody takes the Igbo serious when it comes to these things.”
He publicly challenged IPOB’s spokesman.
“If Emma Powerful is alive, he should come on with you in a programme and tell me where I established Autopilot. What is called Autopilot? I don’t understand. I’ve never heard that name before.”
Kalu rejected suggestions that he is “less Igbo” because he opposes violent separatism.
“No, no, no. I am a true-blooded Igbo. I was with Ojukwu in the last days of his life, and Mrs Bianca Ojukwu can testify. Ojukwu told me that the first one was necessary, but the second one is no longer necessary.”
He criticised armed agitation in the South-East.
“Even if these boys want Biafra, who are you going to rule when you kill all the Igbos? When you stop all Igbos from doing business? When on Mondays, if you see people going out for business, you start pursuing them and killing them? It is not rational.”
Kalu urged separatists to embrace peaceful, political channels.
“Even if they want Biafra, they should drop their arms and go with their flags and demand for what they want, and negotiate for it. Talk for a referendum, if that is what they want.”
He warned that economic collapse in the region has become unbearable.
“Enough is enough. Let us stop destroying ourselves. There is no more commerce in the entire Igbo land. Things are difficult. How are we going to live?”
Reacting to claims that he, Benjamin Kalu and Dave Umahi were competing to be President Tinubu’s strongest Igbo ally, Kalu said the rumours were false.
“No, no, no, no. I spoke to Umahi the day before yesterday, and I spoke to Ben Kalu yesterday. There’s no hustling for what? I am a senator. Umahi is my friend. Ben Kalu is like my younger brother. I put him in business. I put him in politics.”
He added:“There is no competition whatsoever. Even last week, Umahi sent his chief of staff to bring Christmas items to me. So I don’t know why you want to cause trouble.
Kalu rejected calls for President Tinubu to resign over insecurity.
“No, no, no. Nigeria is a very large country. The issue is continuous sabotaging one another. This insecurity hanothing to do with any particular person.”
He blamed weapons proliferation on the collapse of Libya, Mali and parts of Iraq.
“All the arms coming from all those areas are turning back to Nigeria. This war is not only a war of weapons. It is a war of intelligence.”
Security agencies, he said, must work together.
“The army, air force, navy and all related agencies must work more on intelligence and cooperation.”
He also linked banditry to mineral theft.
“These people are not insurgents. They want to scare everybody away from where there are minerals so they can take them.” The
And he defended the president.
“President Tinubu has done what he thinks he should do. I don’t know any new thing critics will do.”
Boluwatife Enome
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