Amaka Obiefuna.

A former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Monday accused Abia State government of withholding his pension and other entitlements for eight years.

Kalu, who was reacting to a recent story in the media that 108 former governors are currently receiving pensions from their various states, said the Abia state government had refused to pay his pensions and entitlements since 2009.

He said he remained the only ex-governor in the country that does not receive pension.

“The pension laws of the state did not exclude me from being paid as expected. In fact, it is illegal according to the law to deny one his rights and privileges,” he said.

“Since 2009, I have not received any pension or entitlement from the state government but I took it in good faith. I have earlier written to my two successors in different periods notifying them of how they were flouting the laws by withholding my pensions, but it was ignored,” Kalu who governed Abia from 1999 – 2007 said.

“If it is out of will to disregard the law, I shall instruct my lawyers to take a legal action against the governor for denying me my rights.

“If the present governor cannot resolve it, I will seek redress in the court. It doesn’t matter what I will be doing with the money. I can channel it into humanitarian service and philanthropy but the laws must be obeyed.”