By Our Correspondent Umuahia
The simmering political feud between the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, and the Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu (OUK) has erupted again this time in a fiery exchange of accusations over betrayal, deceit, and 2027 political ambitions.
In a strongly worded press statement titled “OUK Is the Real Betrayer, Liar,” Public Affairs Analyst James Nwachukwu tore into the former Abia governor, accusing him of orchestrating a smear campaign against the Deputy Speaker through a fabricated article allegedly linked to the media aide of Governor Alex Otti.
“Orji Uzor Kalu’s greatest hurt is Benjamin Kalu’s rising political profile,” Nwachukwu wrote. “At every turn, he hurls lies and half-truths to diminish a man who once helped build him. But the truth is out, OUK is the real betrayer.”
Nwachukwu traced the relationship between both men back to the year 2000, recounting how they met abroad when Kalu was already a thriving entrepreneur leading the PDP Diaspora chapter, employing over 150 people and managing multimillion-euro businesses across Europe.
He dismissed Orji Kalu’s claim of being Kalu’s benefactor as “laughable,” insisting that the former governor “never gave him a kobo except ₦2 million to print campaign posters,” which was reportedly delivered through his brother, Mascot Kalu.
“If OUK ever helped Ben Kalu, let him present one piece of evidence. On the contrary, Ben Kalu bought his first-class tickets for overseas trips through his own travel agency,” Nwachukwu said.
The statement also detailed a controversial business partnership gone sour, alleging that Orji Uzor Kalu took 75% of a joint venture initiated by Benjamin Kalu but failed to invest his share.
Nwachukwu claimed that a later audit revealed Kalu (the Deputy Speaker) had invested ₦175 million more than Orji Kalu’s ₦150 million yet the former governor attempted to manipulate the report.
He further alleged that Ben Kalu lost €11 million during Orji Kalu’s imprisonment in Kuje Prisons after banks in Europe blacklisted the company due to OUK’s conviction.
“Ben Kalu lost a business he spent nine years building because of Orji Kalu’s criminal record. He refused to replace OUK’s name in the company documents, and that loyalty cost him everything,” he stated.
Nwachukwu accused the Abia senator of repeatedly sabotaging Benjamin Kalu’s political ambitions, including allegedly “selling the House of Representatives ticket twice to another candidate” despite Kalu’s loyalty and heavy investment in the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).
He also alleged that OUK opposed Kalu’s emergence as Deputy Speaker of the 10th National Assembly, preferring to pursue his own Senate Presidency ambition, which failed.
“He swore before traditional rulers in Bende that Ben Kalu would fail unless he bowed before him. But Kalu stood tall and won overwhelmingly that is the wound OUK can’t heal,” Nwachukwu fired.
The statement accused Orji Kalu of political double-dealing — “playing APC by day and Labour Party by night.” In contrast, Nwachukwu said, Benjamin Kalu’s loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and the APC “has been open, firm, and consistent.”
“OUK betrayed Kalu because he refused to betray Tinubu. If that’s betrayal, then he’ll ‘betray’ him again,” Nwachukwu mocked.
Concluding, Nwachukwu described Orji Kalu as “a serial liar and chronic betrayer” who must “allow Benjamin Kalu to serve Nigeria in peace.”
He added that Kalu’s frustrations stemmed from envy and failed attempts to control the younger politician.
“He hates Benjamin Kalu for refusing to do his bidding for being a man of grace, favour, and integrity. Orji Uzor Kalu is not God,” he declared.
On the alleged link with Governor Alex Otti, Nwachukwu clarified that the Deputy Speaker had no prior business or political dealings with the governor, saying that dragging Otti into the feud was “a desperate diversion from the real issues of deceit and hypocrisy.”
