Hon. Nkole Knows I Attracted N12.8bn Umuahia-Bende-Ohafia Road Project, I Have Witnesses — Ben Kalu

Member representing Bende Federal Constituency Abia state, Rep. Benjamin Kalu has said there is no controversy regarding who attracted the total reconstruction of Umuahia-Bende-Ohafia road, accusing the PDP’s Hon. Uko Nkole, representing Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency of attempting to take credit for a project he (Ben Kalu) attracted.

There has been bragging right between both Abia lawmakers of PDP and APC on who actually attracted the project.

Speaking on a radio programme, Ben Kalu’s Mandate on ABN TV and Radio in Umuahia on Tuesday, Hon. Kalu said those he worked with on the said project are still alive and can be reached.

He mentioned as his witness Dr. Uche Ogah, Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development and only member of the Federal Executive Council from Abia.

He said the ongoing social media ranting by Hon. Nkole is unnecessary, wondering why the PDP lawmaker photocopied a project paper and presented same to the public as his evidence that he attracted the project.

Hon. Kalu expressed disgust that his private conversation with Hon. Nkole was published, insisting that he attracted the said project.

“What I went for was the total overhauling of the road. I didn’t say Arochukwu. Ohafia to Arochukwu doesn’t concern me. I didn’t do anything there.

“But you see the one coming from Umuahia, Bende to Ohafia, my brother, that N12.8bn project, Benjamin Okezie Kalu attracted it. And the man who participated in the debate is still alive. His name is Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah and he supported the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola when he brought it before the President,” he said.

He accused Hon. Nkole of changing the description of the road project after approval from the Federal Executive Council from Umuahia-Bende-Ohafia road with the aim of redirecting it to another axis, noting that it is illegal to change what has been presented by the President to the parliament.

Hon. Kalu said it took the intervention of the Speaker, Rt Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and the chairman of Appropriations Committee to reverse the description to original form, accusing Hon. Nkole of not supporting this process.

He described as a lie claims by Hon. Nkole that he (Nkole) attracted the project in 2017, saying if that was the case the FEC will not be sitting over it in 2020.

He said FEC considered the road based on his (Ben) application in 2019 for a consideration of the road, noting that no reference was made to by FEC to any 2017 approval.

He said FEC does not sit on a project twice for second approval, insisting that he attracted the project and not Nkole.