It’s A False Alarm – Ben Kalu Responds To Allegation Of Anti-Party Activities

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has said he is too busy to be involved in anti-party activities against anyone.

Naija News recalls that the National Coordinator of a group known as Progressive League of All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth, Usman Shuaibu, at a news briefing yesterday, accused Kalu of anti-party activities.

Shuaibu accused Kalu of working against the APC in the last presidential election in the guise of religion and tribal sentiment, thereby reducing the winning votes of the party.

The group’s coordinator also accused the deputy speaker of working against the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.

He stated that the progress Onyejeocha has made, despite failing to return to the lower legislative chamber, should not worry the deputy speaker.

Shaibu, therefore, asked the national leadership of the party to call Kalu to order before he destroys the party completely in Abia state.

However, in his response to the allegation, Kalu said it was a false alarm and deliberate plot aimed at creating disaffection between himself and Onyejeocha.

The Deputy Speaker in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu on Tuesday, said he was too busy with assignments to be involved in any campaign of calumny against Onyejeocha.

Kalu explained that there is not any political conflict between himself and Onyejeocha, and as such he regards her as a partner in government.

The lawmaker said he has used every opportunity to seek support for Onyejiocha and asked Abia APC leaders to rally around her even before she became a minister.

Kalu called on the minister to rather come out clean if she holds any grudges against him over the legal battle that ended with him securing victory at the Court of Appeal which affirmed his electoral mandate after LP and AA fought tirelessly to upturn it.

He noted that he won’t succumb to any form of subjugation or cowardice or accept being covertly or overtly distracted from his tasks by anyone calling for his sanction in whatever guise.

“But the fact that Onyejiocha has not yet dissociated herself from the press conference leaves a huge worry and casts aspersions on her person as to what manner of a minister would be creating an impression of someone deliberately courting trouble where none exists.

“From what is conceivably right and true Onyejiocha is a sister whose integrity would be brutally assaulted by a group that chooses to drag her name to raising false accusations,” he said.