Former Abia State governor Orji Kalu has dismissed claims that he purchased his mansion in Potomac, Maryland, United States, while serving as governor.
A video had circulated online showing Mr Kalu guiding a man through the property.
In the clip, the man stated that Kalu also owns houses in Texas, North Carolina and the United Kingdom.
He added that the Potomac house faces the River Potomac, a area for individuals with high net worth.
Following the circulation of the video, some Nigerians alleged that the senator acquired the mansion with funds embezzled while in office.
Responding in a video released on Wednesday, Kalu said the mansion was bought before he became governor of Abia State.
According to him, the purchase was made with proceeds from the sale of a house he previously owned in Boston, Massachusetts.
“I own a house in Boston, Massachusetts and I sold it and put the money to buy where I live now in Washington, DC. It was the same house Obasanjo was hailing when I was governor in 2003, and the US authorities came and looked at it when Bush was President. I bought the house before I became governor because it was proceeds from the house in Mattapan, Boston that I used in buying the house and it was properly declared in my asset declaration,” he said.
The 65-year-old added that the Potomac house was bought in 2003 and is in his name.
Orji Kalu was governor of Abia State from 1999 to 2007.
He is currently a senator and was Senate chief whip from 2019 to 2023.
He has faced several corruption and money laundering charges.
