#BBB NEWS| Former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu Defects To APC

Former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Mr. Kalu, who is facing trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a N3.2b fraud, was received at the APC headquarters in Abuja. APC National Chairman John Odige-Oyegun and members of the National Working Committee officially welcomed the former governor to the party.

According to Mr. Kalu, APC chieftains had been courting him for some time. He said they invited him to dinner at least twenty times.

“They had been on my neck, asking that I must come over to APC,” Mr. Kalu said. “The national chairman always buys me red wine.”

#BBB NEWS| N5.6bn Fraud: Ex-Gov Kalu Faces Fresh Charge

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, May 16, 2016 filed an amended 34-count charge against Orji Uzor Kalu, former Governor, Abia State.

He is being tried alongside his company, Slok Nigeria Limited and the state’s ex-Director of Finance in the State House, Udeh Jones Udeogu before Justice Anwuri Chikere of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Kalu and his co-accused are being accused of diverting the state’s funds to the tune of N5.6 billion while they were in office between 1999 and 2007.

Kalu, Slok and Udeogu were first arraigned on July 27, 2007.

Upon their arraignment in 2007, the defendants had challenged the competence of the charge up to the Supreme Court, but los as the apex court ordered them to submit themselves for trial.