Former Deputy Governor of Abia State, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe has continued to receive knock for allegedly maligning the character of his former boss and the Senator representing Abia North, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu in his recent book titled ‘Made In Aba’.
Describing the book as an incoherent, shallow, empty, and forged memoir of a rabble-rouser, a group Concerned Abia Professionals took a swipe at Abaribe, Abia South Senator for showing ingratitude to the man who allegedly brought him to political prominence from obscurity.
In a statement signed by Dr Andrew Chukwuma, the group alleged that Sen. Abaribe was languishing in Lagos and struggling to get a ticket to contest for House of Assembly in Abia when he ran into Sen. Kalu who as of then was already made and was the front line candidate for governorship election In Abia
The group insisted that it was when Abaribe ran into Sen. Kalu that his political fortune changed as Sen. Kalu offered him on a platter of gold the deputy governorship slot without previously knowing who Abaribe was.
Concerned Abia Professionals further alleged that Sen. Abaribe lost the opportunity of contesting as the running mate of Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu for a second term in 2003 governorship election in the state as a result of his involvement in what it called criminal forgery of revenue receipts and diversion of public funds to personal pocket.
It says Senator Abaribe while he was deputy to Sen. Kalu during his first term in office as Abia governor played an ignominious role and act of criminality that led to his ouster, stating that he and his cohorts forged the revenue receipts of the state and fraudulently diverted the state’s purse to their personal purse.
The release further read, “Indeed Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe owes all his political success to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and family, who brought him from obscurity and gave him a political future
“The group who is not holding brief for Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu or family stated that they are concerned because Orji Kalu is one the biggest lights from the South East Zone therefore they wouldn’t fold their hands and watch his reputation stained especially since they were privy to what lead to the fall of Enyinnaya Abaribe as deputy governor of Abia state
“Finally the group enjoins Abains and indeed Nigerians to jettison the masked attempt to tarnish the image of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu whom they hold in high esteem especially when the false assertions vituperated by senator Enyinnaya Abaribe did not in any way directly indict Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu rather he was merely chasing shadows
“Furthermore the group stated that the book “made in Aba” is incoherent, shallow and empty, and more like a forged memoir of a rabble-rouser.”
