A former governor of Abia State and Senator representing Abia Central district, Senator Theodore Orji, has denied shouting at a caller on his telephone, saying that he engaged the caller on a conversation even when she is unknown to him and not his constituent.
Loading ...A statement by the Media Adviser and Legislative Aide to the lawmaker, Mr. Eddie Onuzuruike, said the caller whose name was given as Portia Emilia Anthony was quoted by the Punch newspaper as saying that Senator Orji shouted at her when she called his phone line aftermath of the mass leakage of federal lawmakers’ phone numbers by online news portal, SaharaReporters.
“Our attention has been drawn to the front page of the Sunday Punch, April 24, 2016, titled, ‘Leaked numbers: Nigerians wage telephone wars against senators…’ Further down on page 2, one Portia Emilia Anthony in a post on her Facebook page accused former Gov. Theodore Orji who is now representing Abia Central senatorial District of shouting at her on the phone…..’
“From all indications, the Sahara Reporters that splashed the numbers of senators and urged the public to engage the legislators did not know how far bloggers and other folks would go as some have ended up embarrassing their legislators. Most of the people who responded like Emilia acted heretically as they did not have enough facts but relied on insinuations to harass their legislators. If Emilia had good intentions, why would she not start with her legislators from cross River State, rather she called Senator Orji?
“If the Senator wanted to be dodgy, he wouldn’t have left his phone line open at the first instance but he picked an unregistered number and entered into a discussion with a strange caller which reflects a lot of confidence and openness. He would have handed the phone to an aide or completely ignored the call. Rather than extol these virtues, she went to town that the Senator shouted on her. This can only be believed by those who do not know Senator Orji, his trademark humility and openness,” Onuzuruike said.
He added that while his principal was governor of Abia State, his phone line was always on, “reading and replying text messages and interacting with newsmen and other citizens,” noting that he reacted promptly to constructive criticisms.
“We can vividly recall the kidnap days in Abia when many indigenes and none indigenes called the Senator frequently on the phone of which a higher percentage came from abroad. I am sure that many who know him would send out messages in defence.
“The Senator is aware of his responsibilities of being answerable to the people and keeps to that consciousness without discrimination. These are presently evident in his multiple Bills and Motions, many of them people-oriented. In December 2015, He toured round his constituency of six LGAs doling out Xmas gifts and later followed with a scholarship program worth six million Naira bequeathed on 60 students,” the aide said.
