Orji Uzor Kalu, senator representing Abia North in the National Assembly, Wednesday, said he is disappointed over comments by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, after former Abia governor’s visit to the DSS custody where IPOB leader is being detained.
Ejiofor had blamed security operatives for allowing Orji to visit his client without his counsel’s approval.
Kalu, in a verified Facebook account, said, “I’m very disappointed in him (Barr Ejiofor). He rightly acknowledged that I was scheduled to visit his client and at the same time, claimed that I violated the guidelines stipulated for visiting his client. According to him, he was supposed to be present at the 2pm meeting on Monday.
“Several people, including Barrister Ejiofor, have tried to misinterpret and misinform the public about my visit to my brother, Nnamdi. I also read a report stating that I took pictures with Nnamdi and also tweeted same on my Twitter account.
“For the records, the Department of State Services (DSS) did not break any protocol during my visit as I fulfilled all the requirements expected of me before I saw Nnamdi. The DSS affirmed that I cannot see Nnamdi without the application of his lawyers which I diligently did.
“Barrister Ejiofor may have expected me to arrive at 4pm for a scheduled 2pm visit. I strictly keep to time and it is a discipline I have upheld since my childhood.
“I arrived at the DSS headquarters at 1:50pm; went through the necessary protocols and met Nnamdi at 2:17pm. I stayed with him until 2: 57pm. Even though he asked that I stay longer but I had to leave because of other engagements .
“I did not even take my mobile phone along, and no photograph was taken. The photograph people are circulating was the one I took with him when I visited him at the Nigerian Correctional Service Medial Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, in 2016 and later, his parents in 2017.
“My Twitter account has also been inactive. I don’t also know if Barrister Ejiofor is aware that Nnamdi is not under compulsion to see anyone. If he didn’t want to see me, he could have as well declined, but he was glad to see me and also expressed deep appreciations.
“Ejiofor’s anger seems to be borne out of vexation of not being around to listen to our conversations. He sounds like someone who is a beneficiary of the crisis.”
Kalu advised Ejiofor to see the economic damage the Southeast is ‘experiencing because of the weekly sit-at-home’.
He added, “Ejiofor does not understand that people can protest in peace without disrupting economic activities and going violent. He does not understand that there are people whose livelihood solely depends on daily hustle.
“If you have people’s interest at heart, you should as well consider their security, economic prosperity and peaceful livelihood.
“I call on Ejiofor to be patriotic, rise above primordial and pecuniary interest and put the interest of the people of the Southeast and the country first.”
