Longers Anyanwu Defends Orji Uzor Kalu, Says OUK Was a Major Political and Economic Force Long Before Becoming Governor

Longers Anyanwu has reacted to a circulating video about Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (OUK), stressing that the former Abia State Governor was already a formidable political and economic figure long before assuming office in 1999.

According to Anyanwu, records show that OUK was a key player in Nigeria’s political landscape even before the Third Republic. During the formation of political parties that eventually ended military rule, Kalu provided his residence at No. 1 Adeleke, Victoria Island, Lagos, as a meeting venue where leaders from the West, North, and East converged day and night. These gatherings later gave rise to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with Kalu playing a central role in sponsoring the process.

Economically, OUK had established himself as a force to reckon with. He was a major player in the maritime sector, owning several commercial ships, and also had interests in the banking industry, with his banks operating in Nigeria and other West African countries. His dominance extended to the aviation sector through Slok Airline, while his Slok Group operated manufacturing industries in Apapa, Aba, Igbere, and across West Africa.

Anyanwu further pointed out that OUK was one of the few Nigerian politicians with the financial and political capacity to form a political party after leaving office. In 2007, shortly after completing his tenure as governor of Abia State, he founded the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), which won governorship seats in Abia and Imo States—an achievement comparable only to then-Lagos Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who also successfully built his own political structure.

He dismissed suggestions that Kalu’s wealth or acquisition of properties abroad stemmed from his time in government, describing such insinuations as “unfortunate, fallacious, and insulting” to the senator’s long-established economic stature.

“OUK has been among Nigeria’s old-money elite for over three and a half decades. No matter what political opponents may say, he has made his mark as an accomplished achiever in every sense,” Anyanwu concluded.