The Senate has ruled out the possibility of declaring vacant, the seat of its Chief Whip, Orji Kalu, following his conviction by a Federal High Court in Lagos.
Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment over a 7.1 billion naira fraud charges against him since 2007 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Mohammed Idris, 12 years after the EFCC filed the suit against him.
Kalu was convicted alongside his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited, and Jones Udeogu, who served under him as the director of finance and account at the Abia State Government House in Umuahia.
Reacting to the calls on the leadership of the Senate to declare his seat vacant, the Spokesperson for the red chamber, Godiya Akwashiki, said it was not possible.
He said such a request would only be considered after the embattled senator had explored all the legal options available to him without success.
