Solemnity enveloped the ninth Senate when Senator Orji Kalu burst into tears while giving his valedictory speech on the floor on Saturday.
The Abia North Senator, while weeping, stated that he was labelled a thief by some entities who conspired against him.
He said: “Before I came into politics, I could buy anything money could buy. I’m not a thief. Those who put me in prison know the reason. They took over my businesses and wanted to kill me, yet I survived it, and I’m in the Senate with you”.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had arraigned the former Abia State governor; and a former Director of Finance and Accountant, Ude Jones Udeogu on 36-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N7.1 billion.
On 5th December 2019, Kalu was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, while Udeogu got a 10-year sentence.
The Supreme Court later nullified the trial of Kalu and his co-convicts.
The apex court held that the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, who had been elevated to the Court of Appeal at the time of the case, ought not to have presided over the matter while he was an appeal court judge.
Kalu, who is Senate Chief Whip of the outgoing 9th session, said that before he ventured into politics, he was wealthy and played a critical role financially in the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Kalu stated: “I have never lacked, while I was in the Peoples Democratic Party where I served for two terms as governor, I brought the money they used to form that party, every penny, in 1997 and 1998, and I later became a thief.
“People I gave transport money from my house in Victoria Island became agents. This is what Nigeria represents”.
Kalu, who is also a frontline contender for the leadership of the 10th Assembly, said that the country was not fair.
He added: “Thank you for giving me these four years of uninterrupted support. This country is not fair”.
