Former Abia State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Umeh Kalu, SAN, has raised an alarm over threat to his life by the Abia State government.
In a press statement, dated February 21, 2023, entitled:”Abia State Government’s Sustained Threat On My Life”, Chief Kalu noted that the recent alleged threat on his life was because his law firm, Seasons Law Firm, accepted to prosecute a legal brief of Hon.Okey Philip Igwe, in his bid to arrest the threat to his PDP deputy governorship candidacy in the 2023 governorship election in Abia State.
The statement reads: “I am constrained, once more, to bring to the notice of all relevant security agencies, local and international human rights bodies and the general public the unceasing threats to my life, by principal officers of the Abia State government and their agents.
“I have had cause since leaving the service of the Abia State government in May 2019, to make similar complaints to the Inspector General of Police. In that complaint, I specifically mentioned named principal officers of the Abia State government that had issued threats to me. Some of these threats came via surrogate phone calls and some were conveyed to my close relations for onward remission to me.
“I am aware that these threats evolve out of the misplaced belief of these Abia State government officials, that I have the potential of exposing their serial acts of malfeasance, due to my long stay in the service of the Abia State government.
” I consider their belief misplaced because I have long moved on with my life, and, have always had the belief that all mortals are answerable to God, and to God alone, for all their deeds while here on earth.
“I have since leaving the service of the Abia State government in 2019, gone back to my private life as a legal practitioner.
“I have no doubt, as a free and law abiding citizen of Abia State, desirous of the best form of government for my State and country, made objective comments on the dire state of affairs in Abia State and equally proffered solutions towards salvaging the decrepit state of affairs in our State.
“Some of these views and comments as sincere as they are, but rather unsettling to the Abia State government and its officials, have portrayed me as their enemy.
“The more recent decision of my Law Firm – Seasons Law Firm – to accept and prosecute a legal brief of Hon. Okey Philip Igwe, in his bid to arrest the threat to his PDP deputy governorship candidacy in the forthcoming 2023 general elections, has further pit me against the Abia State government, some of its officials and the top echelon of the PDP in Abia State.
” I have since taking up the said legal brief been getting threatening phone calls and even stumbled on a document, where I was described as an enemy of mthe Abia State government by Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, the governor of the State and the leader of the PDP in Abia State.
“My description by the governor as an enemy of the State has definitely heightened the threat on my life, as he possesses all the machinery of government to mete out enemy treatment on me.
“I am at the moment a member of the Labour Party and the Abia State Coordinator of the Obi – Datti Presidential Campaign.
“I am by this appointment expected to partake in all political activities in Abia State before, during and after the 2023 general elections, including litigations that might arise therefrom.
“I am an indigene of Abia State and will remain in the State to participate in the 2023 general elections and perform my duties in the aforementioned activities.
“It is saddening and unfortunate, to have a sitting democratically elected governor, describing an accomplished citizen of the State as an enemy of the State government.
“I find this misplaced and having no place in civilized conduct and in a democracy.
I have served Abia State almost selflessly for a decade as the Chief Law Officer of the State. I have been a member of the highest decision making body in the State – the State Executive Council – for ten unbroken years. I have served as a member of the State Security Council for ten solid years.
“The fact that I consider the several years of civilian rule in Abia State wasteful, including the period during which I served the State government and desire a better condition of life for our people, cannot qualify me in any guise to be an enemy of the State government.
“I have before this press briefing and will continue hereafter, to lodge my complaint on the threat on my life as aforestated, to all heads of security agencies in the country, local and international human rights bodies, religious, political, socio – cultural and professional bodies to which I belong.
“May I conclude by sounding it loud and clear, that should any harm come to me or any member of my family, the Abia State government as presently constituted and under the leadership of Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu should be held responsible and accountable.”
