Senator Orji Kalu recently tackled Dr. Reuben Abati, co-host of the Arise TV Morning Show, during a live telecast.

During the interview, Dr. Abati asked Kalu if the speculations were true that his legal cases were dropped after President Bola Tinubu took office because Kalu supported him during the 2023 election.

Kalu, who did not appreciate the question, accused Dr. Abati of using journalism as a cover to harass him. He described the question as an insult and suggested that Dr. Abati should quit journalism and join politics if he wanted to engage in political discourse.

“If you want to be a journalist, Rueben, be a journalist. If you want to be a politician, leave the journalism and come and be politicians like us. I have left millions of dollars to come and be in politics. You can behave like me.

You know I’m the largest employer of labour in media in Nigeria. I am the highest employer in factories. Apart from Aliko Dangote, I don’t think any other Nigerian employs more Nigerians than I do. In just media alone, I have like 200 workers; in other factories, I have like 13 to 14 thousand workers in the country, not even in the subregion of Africa.

So, Dr Abati, if you want to be a member of the political party, you come and join the APC, or you join properly the Labour Party, or you join the PDP. So, we know you are a member of a political party. Don’t hang under being a journalist and harass people like me. I will not take it from you. It is not proper; it is insulting.”

When Dr. Abati tried to explain that he was merely conveying public opinion, Kalu dismissed him and continued his critique.

He continued, “I was governor of Abia and the Abia people are very happy with me. I’m Senator of Abia and if I go for election in those areas any day, I will win. I have never rigged an election; I have never asked anybody to write an election for me. I have believed in the rules. When I have a case, I face myself to the judiciary. Ask all the judges that tried me. I appeared in the court.”

Boasting of his wealth and opportunities to relocate outside Nigeria and avoid trial, Kalu emphasized that his support for Tinubu was out of respect for the President, not fear of prosecution.

Kalu mentioned that he was not afraid of death or anyone. “I had the opportunity to run away and live outside. I have businesses in West African countries; I have businesses elsewhere. I can be sustained anywhere, but I can never do that because I know that this is our country.

I am an Igbo man to a heart and I am not afraid of death. I am not afraid of anybody. Because for you to tell me I support President Tinubu because I am afraid of being tried is insulting. He is the President of Nigeria. If you don’t respect him for anything at all, respect him that he is the President of Nigeria. He did not buy it in the market; he earned it.”

Watch the video below