The Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has described Mr Mao Ohuabunwa, former lawmaker who represented Abia-North at the red carpet chamber as a frustrated and rejected politician.
In a statement made available to IGBERE TV by the campaign spokesman of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Sunny Idika, Kalu said it is a failed attempt by a lawmaker whose only achievement is sharing of frying pan to the constituents to evaluate the outstanding three years performance of Kalu who was adjudged as the best performing Senator in the 9th Senate.
Idika’s reaction is coming on the heels of the recent allegation by Ohuabunwa that senator Kalu abandoned a road project he attracted to Abia-North.
Recall that Ohuabunwa while inaugurating members of his campaign council for Abia north 2023 senatorial district election in Umuahia, accused the chief Whip of the senate, Orji Kalu of abandoning the N5.2 billion Arochukwu–Ohafia–Bende federal road project he attracted while in the Senate.
He, however, said that Ohuabunwa’s claim on the Arochukwu-Ohafia road is an admission to the fact that he failed as a lawmaker for the twelve years he wasted at the National Assembly when compared to over 63 road projects executed by Senator Kalu in the last three years.
The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to a misleading story in some online newspapers credited to the Abia North senatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mao Ohuabunwa. In the said article, Ohuabunwa was quoted as having cast aspersions on the person of Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the Chief Whip of the Senate and Senator representing Abia North senatorial district, erroneously alleging that Kalu abandoned N5.2billion project he attracted.
“The former senator who became famous for sharing frying pan as his constituency project in the 8th Senate also said the people of Abia North lacked a representative since he left the senate.
“Ohuabunwa’s statement is an insult to the masses’ integrity. It is a futile attempt of a frustrated and rejected politician to assess the outstanding three-year performance of Kalu who was adjudged as the best performing Senator in the 9th Senate by the Senate Press Corps for executing massive developmental projects for his Abia North constituents.
“It is ridiculous that Ohuabunwa that was sacked in an overwhelming landslide election in the 2019 General Elections would have the temerity to give an assessment of a Senator that has already been rated the best in the history of the state with over 63 road projects and 40 Bills to his credit.
“His statement on the Arochukwu-Ohafia road is an admission to the fact that he failed as a legislator for the twelve years he spent at the National Assembly compared to the over 63 road projects executed by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu in just three years. The people of Abia North senatorial district must know that Mao Ohuabunwa did not attract any project to the zone, not to talk of abandoning it. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu fought for the Arochukwu-Ohafia road which was approved only to be delayed by the crisis rocking the family of the deceased contractor.
“Mao Ohuabunwa, known for dragging projects with even House of Assembly members has just one signature project – which is the frying pan he shared to Abia North women.
He should be told by those around him that we have gone past the era of sharing frying pan.
“We understand that Ohuabunwa and his co-travellers have been rattled by the achievements, acceptability as well as the effectiveness of the ongoing constituency tour embarked upon by the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to showcase his scorecard to his constituents. We are sorry, we can’t help them.
“We, however, challenged Ohuabunwa to embark on a similar tour to show the people what he did for the twelve years he was in Abuja.”