Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has responded to Barr’s claim. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer, where the lawyer said that he (Kalu) broke the law by visiting the secessionist leader in jail.
Kalu said Ejiofor’s anger may stem from irritation from not being there to listen to their conversations.
Newslodge had reported that Ejiofor had issued a statement claiming that the legislator violated the court order by visiting his client in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, in Abuja.
Kalu, a former governor of Abia state and the Senate’s top whip on Monday, visited Kanu, who is currently being held at the DSS facility.
Kalu said he is very disappointed in the lawyer, adding that Ejiofor was well informed that he was scheduled to visit Kanu, but claimed that he (Kalu) violated the stipulated guidelines for visiting his client.
He said the public has been misinformed about his visit to the IPOB leader in DSS custody.
“I also read a report stating that I took photos with Nnamdi and also tweeted the same on my Twitter account,” Kalu said in a statement made available to Newslodge on Wednesday.
“For the records, the Department of State Services (DSS) did not break any protocol during my visit as I met all the requirements that were expected of me prior to seeing Nnamdi. DSS stated that I cannot see Nnamdi without the request of his attorneys, which I did diligently.
“Probably, Attorney Ejiofor could have expected me to arrive at 4 pm for a visit scheduled at 2 pm. What many people call “African time” is not my style. I strictly adhere to the time and it is a discipline that I have maintained since my childhood.
“I arrived at DSS headquarters at 1:50 PM; I went through the necessary protocols and met Nnamdi at 2:17 PM. I stayed with him until 2:57 pm Even though he asked me to stay longer, I had to leave for other commitments.
“During my visit to Nnamdi, I did not even bring my mobile phone and no photograph was taken of me. The photograph that people are circulating was the one that I took with him when I visited him at the Nigerian Correctional Service Medical Security Custody Center, Kuje in 2016 and later, his parents in 2017. My Twitter account has also been inactive.
“Nor do I know if Barrister Ejiofor knows that Nnamdi is not obliged to see anyone. If he didn’t want to see me, he might as well have declined, but he was glad to see me and also expressed his deep appreciation.
“Ejiofor’s anger seems to stem from irritation at not being there to listen to our conversations.”
According to the senator, Ejiofor sounds like someone who benefits from the crisis that is occurring in the southeast, adding that men like the lead attorney may not see the economic damage the region is suffering from the weekly sit-in. home.
Kalu said that Ejiofor should do well to consider the safety, security and well-being of the people, adding that there could be a peaceful protest without disrupting economic activities and without turning violent.
The former governor of Abia asked the lawyer to be a patriot and rise above what he described as a primary and pecuniary interest and put the people first.
Biafra: Why Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer Ejiofor is angry about my visit to IPOB leader – Orji Kalu