Abia North Senator and former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, has stirred nationwide debate after accusing a majority of Nigerian billionaires of amassing their wealth through stolen government funds.
Speaking during a candid conversation with veteran journalist Dele Momodu and Nigerian fashion designer Seyi Vodi, the former governor didn’t mince words. Kalu claimed that unlike many of Nigeria’s ultra-wealthy elite, he made his fortune legitimately—without looting the national purse.
According to Kalu, “There are few like me that are not thieves and made legitimate money in this country. Almost everybody you see today who are billionaires stole government money.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) senator went on to say that most of these so-called billionaires were virtually unknown in the late 1990s, implying their wealth came through dubious political and bureaucratic channels.
“Those claiming that they have this and that were nowhere in 1997 and 1998. I don’t want to get angry—any day I get angry, I will call them out by names,” Kalu warned.
He further linked Nigeria’s struggling economy to the elite’s obsession with the dollar. Kalu alleged that stolen funds are often converted into foreign currency and stashed away privately, worsening the country’s forex crisis.
“Let’s stop the usage of dollars and let’s see how they would survive,” he said. “They are stealing money and changing it to dollars. So how can the economy be well? It’s not possible.”
WATCH HIM SPEAK IN CLIP BELOW
Kalu’s explosive comments come as he continues to claim that his foray into politics cost him more than it gained. He recently stated that while he served as Abia State Governor, he “never benefited anything” personally. Instead, he alleged, the Federal Government seized his assets, which has made politics “very dangerous” for him.
The senator’s remarks have reignited public debate about corruption among Nigeria’s political and business elite, especially at a time when the naira continues to plummet and economic inequality widens.