Senate Principal Officers and Kalu
Senate principal officers including the President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan have in a convoy gone to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to welcome back from the Nigerian Correctional Service in Kuje, Abuja.
Kalu who is a serving senator and a former governor of Abia State had to abandon his post as the Chief Whip of the senate when he was found guilty and sentence to prison over a N7.1billion fraud.
Justice Mohammed Idris has since December 2019, found the former Abia State Governor, his company Slok Nigeria Limited and a former Director of Finance in Abia State, Jones Udeogu guilty of the alleged fraud.
He and his legal counsel who have been unhappy about the sentencing appealed, praying that the judgement be over turned and Kalu unconditionally released from prison custody.
On May 2, 2020, the Supreme Court gave a unanimous judgement by a seven-member panel led by Justice Amina Augie, that the Lagos State Federal High Court that gave the sentencing acted without jurisdiction.
After the Supreme Court judgement, Kalu’s release was secured when his Counsel approached a Federal High Court in Lagos for the interpretation of the judgement since the Supreme court was not clear about his release or perpetual detention.
He gained his freedom on Tuesday, and has since then hosted some of the federal lawmakers in Nigeria who were happy to see him at his Abuja residence.
Some of the lawmakers who followed the Senate President includes, Deputy Senate President , Ovie Omo-Agege, Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdulahi, Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Kalu’s deputy, Aliyu Abdullahi among many others.
It would be recalled that the Senate has refused to declare Kalu’s seat vacant despite his sentencing, conviction over the alleged fraud and absence during plenary since he has been behind bars.
