Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has denied reports that the recent launch of the Peace In South East Project (PISE-P) had pitched him on a war path with state governors in the region, and the Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohaneze Nd’Igbo.
A national daily and some online platforms in publications on Sunday, reported that the unveiling of the project, an initiative of the deputy speaker created a purported bad blood between him and political stakeholders of the region over battle for political control in the South-east.
“It is rather unfortunate that in a move that smacks lack of patriotism and support for the pursuit of peace and tranquility of a region hitherto enmeshed in violence, a plethora of sponsored gibberishes are coming up both on conventional news platforms and online medium, all aimed at casting aspersions on the person and the office of the Deputy Speaker for championing a worthy cause.
“In quick succession to the event, a national newspaper on Sunday, December 31, 2023 went on a wild goose chase, perhaps, on envy spree, publishing a heresy, more of a distillation of garbage called news, saying that the launch of PISE-P has put the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, the governors of the five eastern states and the Ohaneze Ndi Igbo worldwide on a warpath,” a statement by Mr. Levinus Nwabughiogu, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker said in reaction.
The statement reads further; “It also said that Kalu is on a chase with Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State over who controls the south east politics in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“This is to say the least, a hogwash, indeed, a fabrication of lies that passes for tales by moonlight. At best, it is the figment of the overheated imagination of the author of the report, one Johnchuks Onuanyim and his Newspaper.
“Thankfully, the discerning reading public already knows that hiding under the guise of “a source” to spew lies in the name of news cannot in any way be convincing.
“To set the record straight, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Kalu is not looking for a fiefdom to exert his control over. For those who know him, he is only passionate about the peace, unity, growth and development of his native region.
“As the a true son of Igbo land, Kalu is very much concerned and greatly distressed by the security challenges that had bedevilled the south eastern geopolitical hemisphere of the country for a while now”, adding that what is expected of any son of the soil and the occupant of an office such as his is to galvanize the people and deploy the influence of his office to finding the panacea for the travails of the zone.
