The Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Kalu, arrived at his Igbere country home in Abia State on Monday to a rousing reception by relations, friends and political associates.
The home journey was more than one month after he regained freedom from Kuje Custodial Centre.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Kalu was jailed for 12 years on December 5, 2019 for alleged N7.1 billion fraud, while serving as Abia State Governor from 1999 to 2007.
The Supreme Court, however, in am unanimous decision on May 8, 2020, nullified the trial and conviction of Kalu by Justice Muhammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The apex court said Idris lacked the jurisdiction to try the matter, having been elevated to the Court of Appeal.
The former governor, however, remained incarcerated until June 2 when Justice Muhammed Liman of a Federal High Court in Lagos ordered his release from custody.
NAN reports that Kalu, who arrived at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri around 1:20pm, was received by his political allies and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress in the state.
Party faithful also turned out in large numbers at Onuimo, the Abia/Imo State boundary, to receive him, waiving the APC flag and chanting the party slogan.
At Umuahia, scores of residents lined up the major streets to catch a glimpse of the lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District, who was chauffeured through the city in a motorcade enroute to Igbere, Bende Local Government Area.
Addressing newsmen at the airport, Kalu expressed gratitude to God for the prevailing peace in Nigeria.
He said he felt well being home after his release from unlawful incarceration.
He said: “I feel well to be home.
“I am always a home boy.
“A home boy is always a home boy.”
Kalu said his Abia North Senatorial District did not miss anything as a result of his six months at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
He said: “Abia North did not miss anything because all that were supposed to be done were represented in the budget.
“The senatorial district has become a huge construction site.
“What is happening there has never happened in any senatorial district in Abia.
“There are more than 19 roads currently undergoing rehabilitation in the area.”
Party stalwarts at the brief airport reception included the state Woman Leader, Dr. Ori Obasi; Chijioke Chukwu, representing Kalu’s Bende State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly; and Ndukwe Agu, former General Manager, Abia Road Maintenance Agency.
In separate remarks, they thanked God for Kalu’s freedom from incarceration, saying it further emboldened the party ahead of the 2023 polls in Abia State.
They also expressed the hope that Kalu, who they described as a detribalised Nigerian, liked by many people across party lines, would give voice to the aspiration for a president of Igbo extraction in 2023.
At Kalu’s Camp Neya residence in Igbere, security operatives had hectic time trying to control the people, who thronged the compound in a bid to see him.
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