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A group, the Global Centre for Conscious Living Against Corruption, on Thursday called on the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu, to resign from the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
It said it was morally wrong for the senator who was convicted and was handed down a 12-year jail term recently to continue to be representing Abia North Senatorial District from prison.
The group’s leader, Dr Nwambu Gabriel, made its position known at a press conference in Abuja to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day.
A Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Muhammed Idris had in a December 5 judgment slammed a 12 -year jail term on the former governor of Abia State having found him guilty of N7.6bn fraud allegation levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Gabriel said Kalu could not continue to represent the people of his constituency from prison, hence the need for him to resign.
He said, “We wish to advise the convicted Chief Whip of the Senate to honourably resign his seat as Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District.
“It is morally wrong for him as a convict to still represent a people from jail.
“We agree that he has the right to appeal the ruling of the lower court, but we make bold to say here that morally, it is wrong for him to remain the representative of Abia North.
“He cannot effectively represent Nigerians from prison. We need not to tell him that if he indeed loves the people of Abia North, he should throw in the towel.”
Gabriel said the conviction of the former governor had added impetus to Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption fight.
It said it was morally wrong for the senator who was convicted and was handed down a 12-year jail term recently to continue to be representing Abia North Senatorial District from prison.
The group’s leader, Dr Nwambu Gabriel, made its position known at a press conference in Abuja to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day.
A Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Muhammed Idris had in a December 5 judgment slammed a 12 -year jail term on the former governor of Abia State having found him guilty of N7.6bn fraud allegation levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Gabriel said Kalu could not continue to represent the people of his constituency from prison, hence the need for him to resign.
He said, “We wish to advise the convicted Chief Whip of the Senate to honourably resign his seat as Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District.
“It is morally wrong for him as a convict to still represent a people from jail.
“We agree that he has the right to appeal the ruling of the lower court, but we make bold to say here that morally, it is wrong for him to remain the representative of Abia North.
“He cannot effectively represent Nigerians from prison. We need not to tell him that if he indeed loves the people of Abia North, he should throw in the towel.”
Gabriel said the conviction of the former governor had added impetus to Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption fight.
