Former Governor of Abia and Senator-elect for Abia North Senatorial District, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, on Tuesday met with President Nicolàs Maduro, President of Federal Republic of Venezuela.
Igbere TV reports that the meeting of both leaders comes barely 48 hours after Orji Kalu strike an oil deal with the Venezuelan government.
Recall that Kalu had during the weekend, secured a major oil deal with the Venezuelan government in far away Caracas.
Igbere TV had reported that the former governor and some of his aides are in Venezuela on a business trip.
He was received by H.E Dr Martin N. Cobham, Nigerian Ambassador to Venezuela, upon his arrival.
Our correspondent present reports that the meeting afforded both leaders opportunity to strengthen the ties between both countries — Nigeria and Venezuela.
Addressing newsmen after the meeting, President Maduro expressed readiness to work closely with the Nigerian government, while congratulating Kalu on his electoral victory as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He also congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election for a second term.
The President who could not hide his joy after the meeting, took to Twitter to express gratitude to the former Abia State governor.
“I received brother Orji Uzor Kalu, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I expressed my congratulations to the recent electoral victory of President Elect, Muhammadu Buhari. We ratify our readiness to continue to strengthen ties of friendship and cooperation,” he tweeted.
On his part, Dr. Kalu said he was glad by the assurances of President Maduro to continue to deepen the existing Nigerian-Venezuelan relationship.
He wrote, “It was a great pleasure meeting with the President of the Republic of Venezuela, Nicolàs Maduro. He extended his congratulations to President Muhammadu Buhari over his electoral victory. I’m glad by his assurances to continue to deepen the Nigerian-Venezuela Relationship.”
Kalu, a Forbes-rated billionaire businessman, has been seen in different countries in the past few weeks obviously on the move to attract development to his immediate Constituency, Abia North, and Nigeria, in general.
Aside being a philanthropist and politician, OUK, as fondly called, has built a business empire with vast investments in oil and gas, banking, insurance, media and publishing, real estate, agriculture, aviation, hospitality, shipping, construction, manufacturing and others operating under the parent company: SLOK Group. These business entities have on their payroll thousands of Nigerians and non-Nigerians.
Even though he is yet to be sworn in as a Senator, the billionaire philanthropist had on different fora, reiterated that his constituents will benefit a lot from his representation at the National Assembly.
