By Charles Pemu 
Former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has vehemently dismissed the ultimatum issued to him by the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), insisting the separatist group has no moral ground to question his public comments regarding insecurity and the enforced sit-at-home order in the Southeast.
Appearing on Arise Television on Sunday, Senator Kalu described the statement, signed by IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful, as “childish theatre,” accusing the separatist agitators of severely crippling commerce, terrorizing communities, and actively pushing the Southeast region towards economic and social extinction.
Kalu provided concrete figures to underscore the devastation caused by the actions tied to the enforced order and militant activities. He asserted, “Over 30,000 people have died through killings tied to sit-at-home and militant actions. Businesses are shut down, families destroyed, communities like Ihiala, Orlu and Uli are graveyards of fear.”
He insisted that while he supports a political resolution to the incarceration of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, armed intimidation and the deliberate isolation of Igbo communities cannot be defended. “Even if they claim they want Biafra, who exactly do they plan to govern when they kill Igbos, stop Igbos from going to work, and pursue traders on Mondays? This is not ideology, it is self-destruction,” he said.
The Senator challenged the IPOB spokesperson directly to prove his credibility. “If Emma Powerful wants credibility, let him show his face on television,” Kalu demanded, further challenging him to a live televised debate. “Let Emma Powerful come publicly if he exists beyond press statements. Igbo people have suffered enough. They must stop taking Igbo land hostage.”
Responding to IPOB’s accusation that he sponsored armed factions, including “Autopilot,” Kalu dismissed the allegation as fiction. He refuted any link, stating, “I have never heard that name in my life.” He pointed to his tenure as governor, noting, “As governor, I established Bakassi for law and order. They operated with the SSS, police, and federal agencies. No secret militias, no criminal franchise.”
On claims of a rivalry with Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and Works Minister Dave Umahi for President Bola Tinubu’s attention, Kalu dismissed the notion as media mischief, stating there is “zero rivalry.” He described the Deputy Speaker as being “like my younger brother” whom he put in politics, while Umahi has been a long-time friend.
Responding to nationwide calls for President Tinubu to step down due to worsening insecurity, Kalu defended the President, attributing destabilisation to global factors rather than domestic policy failure.
“This is not about Tinubu. We are suffering the fallout of Libya, Mali, Iraq. Terrorists kill Christians and Muslims alike; they kill everywhere. It is wickedness, not ideology,” he said, adding that the Presidency is currently pushing “a full border defence strategy,” details of which he could not publicly disclose.
Kalu concluded his stance by referencing the late Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, claiming that the leader himself would reject the current militant path, having told him that while the first war was necessary, a second is not. Kalu reiterated that the Southeast must return to commerce, investment, and negotiation, not bloodletting. “You cannot claim to liberate a people you are busy eliminating,” he said.
Regarding his daughter, Neya Kalu, who was listed among ambassadorial nominees but reportedly declined the post, the Senator said the decision was entirely her own, noting, “She is a Gen Z. She makes personal decisions.”