I’m ready for trial – Kalu

FORMER Abia State Gov­ernor, Dr. Orji Kalu has expressed his readiness to face his trial and prove his innocence on the 107-count corruption charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Com­mission (EFCC).
The former Abia State gov­ernor’s reaction is coming on the heels of Supreme Court’s dismissal of his appeal Fri­day. The court also ordered the Chief Judge of the Fed­eral High Court, Justice Ibra­him Auta to reassign the case for expeditious trial.
Justice Suleiman Galadi­ma, who wrote the lead judg­ment that was delivered by Justice Sylvester Nwuta held that Kalu’s appeal lacked merit.
In addition, the apex court held that the ex-parte order of the Abia State High court relied upon by the former governor in asking to quash the charge against him cannot stand.
According to him, the de­cision of the Supreme Court directing his trial by the Eco­nomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged N2.4b fraud as gov­ernor is a welcome develop­ment, pointing out that there was nothing unusual about the order,
Dr. Kalu, who made this known from London, where he is delivering a convocation lecture, declared that he was ready and highly disposed to the trial. “I am willing to submit myself for the rule of law to take its course. That has always been my passion­ate advocacy right from the lower courts where the case emanated.
According to a release signed by his media adviser, Mr.
Ebere Wabara, “this clarifi­cation has become imperative lest oppositional forces mis­chievously misinterpret the ruling and mislead the public by injecting their jaundiced opinions into the routine di­rective as had always been with similar cases where the apex court intervened. There is nothing novel about the latest manifestation in the on-going litigation—it was the next thing to expect”.
“I assure the EFCC of my continued support and profound cooperation in any further investigation into this allegation. Let me reaffirm that all the defence docu­ments relating to the case are at my disposal and I am will­ing when the time comes to make them available to the agency.
“There is nothing surpris­ing about this stage of the case.
Having exhausted the lower court processes, the next level is where we have arrived and as I have always insisted I will be vindicated at the end of it all. I have nothing to fear as there is no skeleton in my cupboard hence my ro­bust commitment to the rule of law in this and other issues involving me. This is part of the price I have to pay for op­posing the third-term agenda fiasco of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. My hap­piness is that Nigerians are aware of all my travails for standing against evil in the country in whatever form”, Dr. Kalu said.