Senator Theodore Orji, the former Governor of Abia State, and ex-Senator from Abia Central, unequivocally refuted any suggestion that he had received pension payments from the Abia State Government subsequent to his departure from office in 2015.
Senator Orji made these assertions in an exclusive discussion with Vanguard following the Abia State House of Assembly's decision to nullify the Governor's and Deputy Governor's Pensions Law.
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The legislation titled "H.A.B 11: The Abia State Governor's and Deputy Governor's Pensions Law Repeal Bill 2024" was introduced by the Majority Leader and representative of Arochukwu state constituency, Hon. Okoro Uchenna Kalu.
Representing Senator Orji, his former Chief Liaison Officer, Hon. Ifeanyi Umere, emphatically stated that Orji had not received any pension benefits as a former Governor.
Furthermore, Umere clarified that Orji had not pursued such payments, citing his immediate transition from the governorship to the Senate as evidence of his disinterest in pension entitlements.
Umere quoted Orji as saying, "Since T. A Orji left office as Governor, he has not received any penny as pension. He transited from Governor to Senate and he made it a point of morality that he will not, and he didn't ask for any pension or question anybody about it because he is not interested in it."
Addressing the legislative prerogative exercised by the House of Assembly, Orji emphasized that he played no role in the formulation or implementation of the now-repealed pension law.
"The House of Assembly has the prerogative to periodically review the laws of the state. It's in their powers to do so but nobody should link Senator Orji with the said pension law because nobody has paid him any pension after leaving office as Governor," Umere reiterated on behalf of Orji.
Furthermore, Umere stressed that Orji had not received any pension payments from his successor, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, nor had he authorized any such disbursements to be made on his behalf.