I brought Ruga to Abia State – Orji Kalu

... says Buhari is justified to marginalise Southeast

The Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has revealed that he pioneered “Ruga” in Abia State when he governed the state between 1999 to 2007.



The lawmaker, who is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, at an interaction with the Senate Press Corps on Friday in Abuja, stressed that as governor, he provided land for Fulani settlement in Umuahia.

“I provided land for herders in Umuahia during my time as governor of Abia State where cattle were brought from the North for sale across the South-East and there were no problems.

“When the executive of Miyetti Allah approached my government, I chose where Shopite is located now for them along the Port Harcourt expressway.

“One day, I took a 32-seater bus and I asked their Executives to follow me to where I showed them and they agreed that it was appropriate for them and that was how I established RUGA.”

The Chief Whip also revealed that he trades in cows, saying that cow business is profiteering.

According to him, many Nigerian elite have cows and they are interested in that business, adding that it was wrong for people to see cow business as exclusively that of the Fulani.

Senator Kalu said the South East is not being marginalized and the appointment of service chiefs by President Muhammadu Buhari from one particular region is justified.

According to him, security is very important and the president can decide to work with whoever he trusts, irrespective of what part of the country they come from.

“It’s good to also spread the service chiefs (and) I would like for people in the Senate to make a Bill that every region must have a service chief.

“But when you look at it, a service chief is like a personal staff of the president, they are not really constitutionally owned because you can only work with military men that you trust,” he said while addressing journalists in his office in Abuja.

“I can take you down to memory lane, all those who have been heads of state, they did the same thing the president did, there is nothing new.”

Speaking on the RUGA settlement proposed by the Federal Government, he described the plan as a good idea.

According to him, “it is not an issue for anybody to be discussing”.