Former Abia State Governor and Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, has alleged that individuals previously involved in fraud and other criminal activities abroad are now occupying political positions in Nigeria.
In a post on his Facebook page, Kalu claimed that some politicians currently in the system had once engaged in “419” and other serious offences in South Africa and South America before returning to Nigeria to join politics.
According to him, “Most people, some of them were overseas doing 419, doing all kinds of dangerous crime all over, and you know a leopard cannot change its skin.”
He added that people who have a history of taking what does not belong to them rarely change.
“When people are used to taking money that doesn’t belong to them, they can never change their character. If you’re expecting them to change, it is not true. They can never change.”
Kalu stressed that both civil servants and politicians have a responsibility to redirect the country’s economic path for the greater good.
“I think that both the civil servants and politicians who are ruling, who are the ruling class, should stand up to help to redirect the economic dynamics of this country. The economic dynamics is very prosperous if we do it right.
“Why should people stack dollars in their houses? Why should people be giving out dollars? It’s not our legal tender. People should learn how to put the money in Nigeria’s system so Nigeria can now benefit from the money that we’re transacting on.”
The former governor noted that many of those who once engaged in questionable activities overseas are now part of the current political structure.
“A lot of people that were in South Africa and Southern America everywhere doing all kinds of business are today in politics, but it’s what we see.”
Kalu, however, appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to join politics with genuine intentions, not for personal enrichment.
“Let the good people come and join and make politics better the way it should be. It’s not for saints. This business is not for saints, but it’s not for people that instantly have damaged themselves in cheating white men or other black people.”
He urged Nigerians to support ongoing economic reforms irrespective of political differences.
“For me, I plead with our people, let us support our economic reforms no matter what our political leaning will be. We should come together and build a new leaf.”