The Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu, says he will do his utmost best to ensure the sustenance of Nigeria’s democracy.

Kalu stated this on Friday while reminiscing on the labour of past heroes on the occasion of the 2020 Democracy Day celebrations.

“As we commemorate and celebrate the remembrance of Moshood Kashimawo Abiola and other heroes of our hard-fought democracy, I want to assure all Nigerians that I would do my best to ensure its sustenance,” he tweeted.

ViewpointNigeria reports that Kalu resumed normal legislative duties at the National Assembly complex earlier this week after he was confined at the Kuje Correctional Centre for six months.

The Senator and others, were in December last year, convicted and sentenced for N7.1bn fraud.

Justice Mohammed Idris, who was elevated to the Court of Appeal bench, had returned to the Federal High Court in Lagos to complete the case, which started in 2007.

However, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision by a seven-member panel led by Justice Amina Augie, on May 8 this year, held that the Federal High Court in Lagos acted without jurisdiction when it convicted Kalu, his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and a former Director of Finance in Abia State, Jones Udeogu, in December last year.

The verdict of the apex court was not categorical on whether Kalu should be released from prison or not and his lawyers decided to approach a Federal High Court in Lagos for the interpretation of the judgment.

The Federal High Court led Justice Mohammed Liman before whom the applicant’s motion was pending, however, granted the prayer of the applicant, and ordered the release of Kalu, from the Kuje prison custody on Tuesday.

The Senator was invariably released by the authorities of the Kuje prisons.

count | 18

I will do my best to sustain Nigeria’s democracy – Kalu