MATTERS ARISING: Is Orji Kalu trying to worm his way into Buhari’s heart?

Orji Kalu, former Abia state governor, has been a blip on the radar of Nigerian politics since 1999.

He was one of the pivotal members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before his face-off with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He left the PDP to establish the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) on which platform he ran for the office of president in the April 2007 election. He later ended his affair with the party and consorted with the PDP, which he dumped again for the PPA, on which pedestal he ran for a senatorial seat in 2015, but lost to Mao Ohuabunwa.

Kalu’s influence is not as coruscating as it once was. He is currently bogged down by allegations of corruption. In October 2016, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed a 34-count charge of money laundering against him at a federal high court in Abuja.

In November 2016, just a few weeks after the EFCC dug up the charges of corruption against him, he divorced the party he founded – the PPA – and wedded the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking at an event held in Abuja to welcome him to the APC, Kalu said he was joining the party to fight an “upright war”.

Hear him: “I am coming in and God will help me to bring value. Between Sunday when I registered at Igbere (his hometown in Abia) and now, there are 4,000 members new members already registered with the APC in Abia.

“Without making it open, there are two members of the house of representatives who are there right now that are joining the APC.

“So, it is a work that we must carry to a logical conclusion. Our upright war is that the south-east will be delivered to the APC. God will help us to do this.”

Since he joined the APC, the former governor, has been an “unofficial spokesman” of the Buhari administration. But is he trying to worm his way into the heart of Buhari?

For the sake of perspicuity, here are some of the craft of his “spokesmanship”.

CLAIMED NNAMDI KANU IN LONDON TO DOUSE TENSION

In an interview with the Punch on Saturday, Kalu said Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was in London – apparently to douse the tension the “missing” of Kanu was smouldering.

Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Kanu’s lawyer, had filed an application at a federal high court in Abuja asking it to order the army to produce his client.

Ejiofor claimed that Kanu had not been seen since September 14 when soldiers invaded his Afara-Ukwu residence in Umuahia, Abia state.

But Kalu said the IPOB leader left Nigeria for London through Malaysia, shooting down the claim that he was arrested by the army.

Hear him: “Kanu was not taken away by the military. Kanu went to Malaysia from where he travelled to the United Kingdom. Nnamdi Kanu is in London right now as we speak. He was not arrested by anybody.”

“He left the country on his own. One of his relations has spoken to me and explained everything because I wanted to see him and talk to him wherever he was and see how I could meet some federal government officials on his issue. I also wanted to see ways of talking to the president about him, and find common ground but his family told me that he has left the country, unless they are lying to me.

“I believe, whether he had left the country or not, he is not with the military because I asked the commander of the 14 brigade, Brig-Gen A K Ibrahim, who is a very fine and good soldier, well-educated and dedicated, and he told me that they don’t know his whereabouts and I am sure, the Department of State Services has the same information. I also visited the commissioner of police and he said he didn’t know his whereabouts, and that they are also looking for him.”

This has forced many to ask: is Kalu marketing himself by making an unconfirmed statement to be on the good side of the government?

Although, he has not hidden his political agenda of wanting to “take the Igbo to the centre”, he is seen to be trying too hard.

ASKED FAYOSE TO STOP ATTACKING BUHARI

Kalu has been making unsolicited interventions since he joined the APC. Unsolicited – because they have not been acknowledged by those whom he wants to please.

One of such interventions is his advice to Ayo Fayose, Ekiti state governor, to stop criticising Buhari.

Delivering a lecture in Lokoja, Kogi state, on July 30, Kalu also reacted to Fayose’s allegation that he was deceiving the Igbo.

He said he was only bringing the ethnic group close to the government.

Hear him: “A few weeks ago, Fayose granted an interview, saying I am deceiving the Igbo. How can I deceive the Igbo when I am taking you to the centre stage of Nigeria politics, when I am taking you to be part of Nigeria’s decision making, when I am taking you to stand with 24 governors than to stand with 10 governors?

“How can I deceive you when you will be part of ministerial decision? How can I deceive you when by tomorrow you will be part of the federal government than to stand with a minority party?‎”

But is Kalu working for himself or  for the Igbo?

DECLARED HE WOULD ALWAYS DEFEND BUHARI

At a dinner held in his honour by Nasiru Abubakar in Shanghai, China, on July 25, Kalu declared that he would always defend President Muhammadu Buhari.

Besides Rochas Okorocha, Kalu is, perhaps, the loudest voice in the south-east, who speaks for Buhari. Is it for altruistic reasons? Maybe and maybe not; his corruption trial is currently at a snail’s pace without any progress since November 2016.

According to him, Buhari is his friend; hence he would continue to be his town-crier.

“It is my duty to support the government in power and to support the central government controlled by the APC,” he said at the dinner.

“First, I speak as a member of the APC, second, as a friend of the president and also as a Nigerian who wants the country to move forward.”

HE SAID BUHARI WOULD RETURN BEFORE JUNE 11

When he returned to the country on June 4, Kalu told journalists at Murtala Muhammed International airport that he met with his “friend” – the president – in London, and that he would return to the country before June 11.

“I went to Washington to visit some business partners and from there stopped at London to see Mr President, who is recovering very fast,” he said.

“I am excited over the state of health of President Buhari despite the hate messages people were spreading about him. I am disappointed with the statement coming from some Nigerians about the health of Mr President.

“The messages some Nigerians have been spreading in the social media is unhealthy. I am calling on Nigerians to have a change of heart. Being a President, does not mean, you cannot be sick, the hate messages are becoming too much. There must be good sense of tolerance among the ethnic groups, we are all one.”

He said this at the time Buhari was receiving medical attention in London – when there was a cumulus of uncertainty over his health. But contrary to Kalu’s claim, the president, who had left on May 7, did not return until August 19.

Could Kalu be wrong again, this time, on Kanu’s whereabouts? The answer lurks in the womb of time.