Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has made a startling claim that he used his personal funds to finance the operations of Abia State during his tenure as governor.

Speaking on Channels TV's Politics Today programme on Monday, the former Abia State governor asserted that rather than benefiting financially from his position, he actually suffered significant financial losses.

"I spend my own money being governor, like I'm spending my money today being senator. I used to finance the state," Kalu stated during the interview.

The senator further claimed that the federal government under former President Olusegun Obasanjo targeted his business interests. "I never benefited anything from being governor. Rather, I lost a lot of money. The federal government took a lot of my businesses," he said.

Kalu, who served as Abia State governor from 1999 to 2007, described his political experience during that period as particularly challenging. "For me, politics had been more dangerous under the Obasanjo federal government at the time," he added.

This revelation comes amid ongoing discussions about governance funding and resource allocation in Nigerian states. Kalu's claims raise questions about state financial autonomy and the relationship between federal and state governments during the early years of Nigeria's return to democracy.

The senator has previously made other controversial statements regarding his relationship with former President Obasanjo, including a recent claim that he gave Obasanjo $1 million in 1998.

Kalu currently represents Abia North Senatorial District in the National Assembly and has remained an active figure in Nigerian politics since leaving the governorship position.