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Tag: Obiano

  • Anambra poll: Does Obiano deserve second term?

    Anambra poll: Does Obiano deserve second term?

    The crisis in the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has remained unsolved, despite the intervention of the judiciary.

    The order of Mandamus which handed the party to senator Martins Agbaso from Imo State has really compounded the issues.

    But, the embattled National Chairman of the party, Dr. Victor Ike Oye, still parades himself as the authentic chairman.

    Recently, the National Executive Council (NEC), led by former Minister of Information and Communications, Labaran Maku visited Anambra state.

    The NEC emphatically declared that the party does not recognise Agbaso as its National Chairman, describing him as a ‘stranger’ in the party.

    It said Oye was elected by the party alongside his executives, adding that APGA would not recognise anybody coming to impose himself on the party through the back door.

    The confusion has affected the popularity of the party in Anambra state, barely four months away from the November 18, governorship election.

    Besides, certain questions are being thrown up among observers; will Governor Willie Obiano retain the ticket of the party?

    Has he really done well to deserve a second term in Anambra, despite pressures from opposition?

    What is the fate of Dr. Elo Aforka, one-time special Adviser to the governor, who has thrown his hat to the ring for the governorship ticket of the party?

    Is Obiano in the camp of Agbaso or Oye or he romances both? Is the governor actually making moves to join another party, ahead of the election?

    The thinking in the state is that Obiano deserves a second term, having done well since he took over from former governor Peter Obi.

    His prominent achievement, according to observers, is the sacking of the dreaded kidnappers and armed robbers in the state.

    Anambra state has become a major producer of rice and a major exporter of vegetables from large farms in the state.

    Despite the criticisms that had trailed three flyovers erected by the Obiano administration, they have changed the aesthetics of the capital city.

    The administration has lighted up the major roads and streets in the state, including the federal road between Amawbia and Amansea, among others.

    But, the APGA crisis giving the state government headaches on daily basis.

    The governor’s dream of getting the ticket to actualise his ambition of second term is still hanging in the balance.

    Though he is the board of trustees (BoT) chairman of the party, The Nation gathered that his relationship with the Agbaso-led executive is not cordial.

    The opposition parties want to capitalise on the crisis in APGA during the election, knowing that the party will have problem of harmonisation.

    None of the parties has scheduled its primary, which is supposed to hold before the end of August as stipulated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The only battle Obiano is facing is the number of appointments he has made from his Aguleri community.

    The appointments have not helped him in any way. rather, they have led to name calling, while the appointees have brought anguish to his administration.

    The appointees from Aguleri do things with impunity without the knowledge of the governor and they have shielded the governor from being seen by other people, thereby creating enemies for him.

    Some political big wigs in the state, who spoke with The Nation, described Obiano as a straight forward person, who is not cunning.    They see him as a large hearted leader; such commendations are even coming from opposition.

    Apart from some of the things done by the governor, a lot of roads are being constructed in communities in the state through the 20 million naira development funds given to them.

    The money has been increased to N40 million to each of the 177 communities that had finished the first phase of their projects.

    Though, some opposition platforms see it as campaign strategy by the APGA government ahead of November 18 governorship election, but it has lifted virtually all the communities in the state.

    Currently, APGA, Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA), United People’s Party (UPP), All Progressive Congress (APC), Hope Democratic Party (HDP) are the parties making waves.

    Despite many rivers to cross by the party, the state government is not relenting in making sure that Obiano wins.

    The first lady Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano and her team had visited the communities sensitizing the people on the good projects of the government.

    For the Chairman of Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), Lolo Oby Kate Okafor, “the governor in the state has done well for the people, but he has to give chance for our party come November 18, 2017”.

    But the publicity secretary of the (APC), Okelo Madukeife, said Obiano has failed Anambra and therefore, should pack his bags and baggage from the Agu-Awka house.

    Aforka, while speaking with The Nation in Awka, claimed that Obiano has killed APGA structure at ward and local government levels.

    He alleged that few day ago that the governor summoned a meeting of immediate past local government chairmen, adding that his message was simple, that the people should work with him in his second term project.

    According to Aforka, “I want to clearly condemn the over bearing interference of the governor with local government funds and administration”

    He said he was optimistic that the APGA leadership, would enthrone good leadership and party politics once again come November 18 in Anambra.

    It is not going to be an easy ride for any of the political parties during the election. But, the waiting game continues till after the party’s primaries in next month.

     

  • Anambra 2017: ‘Obiano ‘ll triumph’

    Anambra 2017: ‘Obiano ‘ll triumph’

    Four months to the governorship election in Anambra State, the tempo of political activities is increasing by the day. In this article, Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano on Media and Publicity, Okechukwu Anarado, writes about the quest of the opposition to upstage the governor.

    AS November 18 governorship election in Anambra State approaches, the tempo and temper of political activities has been rising with every passing day. Every opposition party professing any kind of presence in Awka has been talking tough, insisting that they would wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    Expectedly, however, the All Progressive Congress (APC) has assumed the epicentre of opposition in the state, having upstaged the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the national political space. Not one to gloss over the fixations of his party’s gains of the moment, the Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has jumped into the fray to characterise the opposition. Ngige easily passes for the face of the APC in the Southeast. This and the implicit ceding of spokesperson by majority of the opposition groups to him has emboldened Ngige to seek brazen radicalisation, if not militarisation, of opposition politics in the state; caring less about the imminent sour aftertaste.

    Though they find a common adversary in Governor Willie Obiano, the latter’s impressive development strides and the subterfuge pervading the class of opposition candidates vitiate their aspirations. The popular impression that the urge of these aspirants might just be to outstretch their political visibility, other than gain control of the statehouse, firms up by the day. With a bearing that smacks of disregard for the scathing attacks on his person and office, Gov. Obiano flaunts the achievements of his administration in the past three years as fair and competitive bargains for re-election. He seems comfortable with the jubilant pulse of the citizens of the state whose freedom and safety he has profitably laboured to buy back from diverse crimes endemic in the state.

    Obiano presents the substantial vibrancy of the state’s economy in the face of national economic repression. He is a proud governor of a state that has maintained elite performance in education, agriculture, health and other indices of good governance. Under him Anambra suddenly became a major player in agriculture, with brands like Anambra Rice, Ugu Anambra and Onugbu Anambra (vegetables) hitting national and international limelight.

    Anambra workers celebrate Gov. Obiano as the most labour-friendly governor, because of his unsolicited welfare packages to them; his steadfastness in prompt payment of salaries; the 15 per cent salary increase across board; his transportation scheme for them, etc; just as low income earners in parks, markets and streets, as well as commercial motorcyclists and tri-cyclists enjoy the governor’s humane economic stimulus in terms of reduced taxation. At the grassroots, the result of the governor’s ‘N20m Community Choose Your Project Development Initiative’ spread across all the 182 communities speaks volumes of Obiano’s man of the people’s persuasion. These acts ameliorate the pains of national recession, encourage sustainable economic growth and ensure systemic stability.

    An incumbent who posts such credentials as Governor Obiano’s and whose second term bid is antithetical to the dreams of all other aspirants, should expect no less hard knocks; particularly in Anambra State where reckless tantrums and mischief are liberally deployed in fierce governorship contests. Here, no incumbent seems to do anything pleasing to his opponents. Dr. Ngige (then of the PDP and latter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Chief Peter Obi (then of APGA) had mutual disrespect for each other, while they reigned as governors. Despite Ngige’s momentary brilliant sparks and Obi’s enduring sterling achievements, they took turns in subtly and overtly calumniating each other. Now as apologists-in-chief of the APC and the PDP in Anambra State, both unconscionably take on Gov. Obiano, in a bid to pronouncing him unelectable: an awkward demonstration of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend.’

    The lures of political power and the privileges of political influence now conspire to rob Anambra State the peace the APGA government has painstakingly groomed in the past 11 years. The prime conspirators in this appear primarily fixated on plotting Gov. Obiano’s failure, by sponsoring negative choruses on his administration. Given their determination, it will not be surprising if they stimulate criminal disorder in the course of time, just to undermine Obiano’s most potent bargaining power: Security and safety of lives and property. It is observable that in politics when the subject of interest persistently tends more to awry defense of ego and personal interests than governance and society, service and lordship begin to slyly compete for favoured space in people’s consciousness. This confusion and its resultant hurt spare no one in the long run.

    It will be a security oversight disregarding the seemingly war chants from vociferous Southeast APC chieftains thronging into Anambra with defiant avowals to overrun APGA howsoever. The Anambra electorate is getting restive and battle conscious. Signs of resistance are emerging as majority of Anambra citizens condemn the effrontery in the influx of failed political opportunists from other eastern parts latching on to the APC to disrupt the state’s surefooted lead in development east of the Niger. As a homegrown party that has entrenched itself in Anambra, APGA underscores the Igbo spirit of resilience and survival. Ndi-Anambra are therefore known to be passionate in their defense of APGA government for giving stout expressions to their passions for industry and safety. It is a common belief that Obiano holds the template for greater Anambra, having made Anambra the safest and most investment-friendly state in Nigeria within a short span of three years. The risk of recycling politicians with either questionable antecedents or vague vision in corporate administration is total and does not sound bankable to Anambra people.

    Given the overwhelming support APGA and Gov. Obiano enjoy from the citizens and residents of Anambra State, and the anxiety over probable underhand influences from Aso Rock in the coming election, November 18, 2017 boldly challenges the integrity of Independent National Election Commission (INEC) as a disinterested umpire. It challenges the Presidency as a dispassionate arbiter. Also on trial will be the groups of national and international election monitors whose informed views are expected to add value to the process. Without doubts the international community will be on hand to judge our democracy.

  • Awka Chamber of Commerce honours Obiano on Wednesday

    Awka Chamber of Commerce honours Obiano on Wednesday

    The Awka Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (AwkaCCIMA) will honour Governor Willie Obiano at a public lecture on Wednesday. He will be named the association’s grand patron

    The theme of the lecture is ‘Surviving Recession’.

    The Managing Director of the Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, will be the guest Speaker. The Chief host is President AwkaCCIMA Sir Ndubuisi Nwobu.  Chief Anthony Enukeme, the Chairman /MD of Tonimas Group of Companies, will be honored as Patron of the chambers. Others who will receive awards at the event are: Boskel Nigeria Ltd Chairman Dr Keluo Chukwuogor,  the Chairman /MD of New Idea Construction Company, Ben Emeka and the MD/CEO of Godwin Okafor and Sons Ltd, Godwin Okafor.

    Felly Zontal Akosa will take over from the outgoing President. He said that the chamber’s aim of organising a public lecture was to proffer solution on how to survive the recession. Akosa said the chamber chose Obiano as the grand patron because of his fatherly nature. He commended the governor for his performance in Anambra State, adding that he deserved a second term.

  • Obiano ‘ll be re-elected, says Emecheta

    Obiano ‘ll be re-elected, says Emecheta

    Sir Jude Emecheta is the Chairman of ‘Governor Willie Obiano support group’ in Anambra state. In this interview with NWANOSIKE ONU, he speaks on the governor’s second term ambition.

    The governor, Chief Willie Obiano, is facing many hurdles as the November 18 election draws near, especially the crisis in APGA. Why is it so?

    You are seeing hurdles, I’m not seeing any. I don’t see any APGA member against each other in this coming election in the state. I have always known that every election season, people who don’t want to contest election, but want money will always talk of frivolous black mail. If you don’t understand the system, you panic and try to give them money in order not to disrupt the system.

    Why has the national chairmanship of APGA suddenly become a hot cake?

    They want to be in a position to blackmail Obiano for money. If you don’t give me billions, I won’t give you the ticket. That is the slogan now. It has always been the Nigeria political system, that most aspirants would want to bribe the chairman for tickets.

    In the case of Obiano, APGA has concluded that he has no contestant and it happened in USA. If you are doing a good job, nobody will challenge you. Every member of APGA loves what Obiano is doing in Anambra State and will voluntarily vote for him without asking for a dime. But, they see that Dr. Victor Oye, is their stumbling block of not getting money from Obiano and that is the blackmail point.

    Even, if INEC comes to supervise the primary, the court will always tell you that the party chose who they want, but thank God, all their machinations will come to naught and I believe that the judicial system will not allow itself to be soiled.

    But, are you convinced that he has done well to deserve a second term?   Look at the issues as they are. It is not about being sycophantic. What was his vision for Anambra? Has it been tasted? I say yes and that is what the Federal government is trying to replicate at the federal level. Is he pursuing those visions? Yes.

    Agriculture remains the key to turning the economy around; it is not only exports. It is about having the raw materials available to produce those things that we import. Is he doing it? He is. He is supporting agriculture, disbursing the loans from the Federal government and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the farmers with the help of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in training our youths at Mgbakwu for it. It is not about pumping money in agriculture, but building capacity for our young people.

    Those who live outside the state are clamouring to come back to join the agriculture revolution. That brings both employment and food to our people. Let me take the issue of MoU. Some people say he said he brought five billion dollar investment to Anambra. did he not?

    What I want to tackle on that issue is that I spoke with one of the technical people involved in the signing of the MoU, he told me that, when they wrote the proposal, dollar was hovering between N150 and N200 to a dollar and even in their proposal, they mapped out N250, thinking about the depreciation. The naira could not get as bad as 250. And the time they signed the MoU with Anambra government in investment, 250 million dollars, the naira depreciated between 350 to 400 everything with a gap of a hundred naira to a dollar.

    They had to go back to the drawing board. the technical partners had gone back to their banks abroad that the naira had changed, and they had to draw another plan, and this led to giving a year gap by the foreign banks to ascertain if the naira would stabilise at a particular point. So that has held the MoU for being actualised though they had brought in the machinery into the country. He said those criticising the MoU do not know what business is about.

    Is that the only reason you think the people of Anambra should return him on November 18?

    Before the end of the year, the economy will stabilise, based on the forecasts of the World Bank, federal economic team and the CBN. So Willie Obiano, has done well in Anambra. The most important is that no place can develop without security and that is the biggest achievement of Obiano by chasing away criminals from Anambra.

    Another four years, Obiano will achieve the turnaround in Anambra state economically, so that generations to come will not need to go to Abuja capital in hand begging for money. Anambra state would have had a solid economic base from Agriculture, natural minerals, including mining.

    Is APGA not  afraid of the APC or the PDP or even the PPA during the election?

    We have seen them over the years. They always come with this storm. We respect APC, PDP because they have formidable forces in Anambra state, they also have the wherewithal to share as usual, but if they had done it over these years and Ndi Anambra still voted for APGA, this one will not be an exception because Obiano has improved so much on what Peter Obi left. So, APGA is not afraid or scared of anybody because they do not have anything to tell Anambra people.

    The Federal Government is groping because of the mess left by the PDP and we have seen APC groping with numerous problems in their hands without knowing how to handle it. Also, our own brother in Imo state has not shown us any good example in governance. Therefore, if the people want to vote for good governance, APGA still stands the chance of nipping it on November 18.

  • Obiano ‘ll be re-elected, says Emecheta

    Obiano ‘ll be re-elected, says Emecheta

    Sir Jude Emecheta is the Chairman of ‘Governor Willie Obiano support group’ in Anambra state. In this interview with NWANOSIKE ONU, he speaks on the governor’s second term ambition.

    The governor, Chief Willie Obiano, is facing many hurdles as the November 18 election draws near, especially the crisis in APGA. Why is it so?

    You are seeing hurdles, I’m not seeing any. I don’t see any APGA member against each other in this coming election in the state. I have always known that every election season, people who don’t want to contest election, but want money will always talk of frivolous black mail. If you don’t understand the system, you panic and try to give them money in order not to disrupt the system.

    Why has the national chairmanship of APGA suddenly become a hot cake?

    They want to be in a position to blackmail Obiano for money. If you don’t give me billions, I won’t give you the ticket. That is the slogan now. It has always been the Nigeria political system, that most aspirants would want to bribe the chairman for tickets.

    In the case of Obiano, APGA has concluded that he has no contestant and it happened in USA. If you are doing a good job, nobody will challenge you. Every member of APGA loves what Obiano is doing in Anambra State and will voluntarily vote for him without asking for a dime. But, they see that Dr. Victor Oye, is their stumbling block of not getting money from Obiano and that is the blackmail point.

    Even, if INEC comes to supervise the primary, the court will always tell you that the party chose who they want, but thank God, all their machinations will come to naught and I believe that the judicial system will not allow itself to be soiled.

    But, are you convinced that he has done well to deserve a second term?   Look at the issues as they are. It is not about being sycophantic. What was his vision for Anambra? Has it been tasted? I say yes and that is what the Federal government is trying to replicate at the federal level. Is he pursuing those visions? Yes.

    Agriculture remains the key to turning the economy around; it is not only exports. It is about having the raw materials available to produce those things that we import. Is he doing it? He is. He is supporting agriculture, disbursing the loans from the Federal government and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the farmers with the help of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in training our youths at Mgbakwu for it. It is not about pumping money in agriculture, but building capacity for our young people.

    Those who live outside the state are clamouring to come back to join the agriculture revolution. That brings both employment and food to our people. Let me take the issue of MoU. Some people say he said he brought five billion dollar investment to Anambra. did he not?

    What I want to tackle on that issue is that I spoke with one of the technical people involved in the signing of the MoU, he told me that, when they wrote the proposal, dollar was hovering between 150 to 200 naira to a dollar and even in their proposal, they mapped out 250 naira, thinking about the depreciation. The naira could not get as bad as 250. And the time they signed the MoU with Anambra government in investment, 250 million dollars, the naira depreciated between 350 to 400 everything with a gap of a hundred naira to a dollar.

    They had to go back to the drawing board. the technical partners had gone back to their banks abroad that the naira had changed, and they had to draw another plan, and this led to giving a year gap by the foreign banks to ascertain if the naira would stabilize at a particular point. So that has held the MoU for being actualized though they had brought in the machinery into the country. He said those criticizing the MoU do not know what business is about.

    Is that the only reason why you think the people of Anambra should return him on November 18?

    Before the end of the year, the economy will stabilise, based on the forecasts of the World Bank, federal economic team and the CBN. So Willie Obiano, has done well in Anambra. The most important is that no place can develop without security and that is the biggest achievement of Obiano by chasing away criminals from Anambra.

    Another four years, Obiano will achieve the turnaround in Anambra state economically, so that generations to come will not need to go to Abuja capital in hand begging for money. Anambra state would have had a solid economic base from Agriculture, natural minerals, including mining.

    Is APGA not  afraid of the APC or the PDP or even the PPA during the election?

    We have seen them over the years. They always come with this storm. We respect APC, PDP because they have formidable forces in Anambra state, they also have the wherewithal to share as usual, but if they had done it over these years and Ndi Anambra still voted for APGA, this one will not be an exception because Obiano has improved so much on what Peter Obi left. So, APGA is not afraid or scared of anybody because they do not have anything to tell Anambra people.

    Federal government is groping today because of the mess left by the PDP and we have seen APC groping with numerous problems in their hands without knowing how to handle it. Also, our own brother in Imo state has not shown us any good example in governance. Therefore, if the people want to vote for good governance, APGA still stands the chance of nipping it on November 18.

  • Anambra: Uba vows to unseat Obiano

    Anambra: Uba vows to unseat Obiano

    Senator Andy Uba (Anambra West) has vowed to defeat incumbent governor Willie Obiano in the November 2017 governorship election in the state.

    Uba, a gubernatorial aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC) told his supporters during a sensitization tour of the local government areas that Obiano’s time in Government House is fast coming to an end.

    Uba expressed confidence that he will clinch the party’s ticket in the primaries.

    “Anambra state needs someone like me who has resources and connection to turn things around and bring federal presence, employment and infrastructure to the state”, he said.

    He assured the leadership of the party in the state of his maximum support and assistance that will enable them carry out their various duties.

    He said that he had exemplified his commitment to the state with the donation of 24 vehicles to all the local government areas in the state, party chairmen and bags of rice with cash support to party faithfuls.

    At the Onitsha North local government a member of the House of Representatives, Hon Linda Ikpeazu, asked the people to give maximum support to Senator Uba.

    She described the senator as determined and generous representative, recalling how he attracted employment to Anambra indigenes during the Obasanjo administration.

    At Ogidi, Idemili North Local government area and Ojoto Idemili South local government area, the governorship aspirant pledged that his administration will be all inclusive, devoid of discrimination and marginalization for the benefit of all.

    In his vote of thanks, the zonal leader of the party in Anambra North senatorial zone assured Uba of maximum support during the primary election.

    He expressed confidence that the senator would emerge at the primary election and go on to win the governorship election.

    The local governments visited are, Anambra West, Anambra East, Oyi and Anaocha local government areas. Other local governments visited are Idemili North and South local governments and Onitsha North and South.

     

  • Obiano pays 385 retirees after 38 years

    Obiano pays 385 retirees after 38 years

    Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano yesterday announced the payment of pensions and gratuities to 385 retirees, after 38 years.

    It was learnt that the governor had released N700 million while payment will begin at the end of June and last till May 2018.

    Commissioner for Information and Strategic Planning, Ogbuefi Tony Nnacheta, addressed reporters yesterday in Awka, the state capital, on the development.

    Some corporations whose retirees have died include Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) and Anambra Newspapers Company, publishers of National Light.

    Nnacheta said those involved had been suffering for years, adding that the money had been provided to stop their agony.

    The commissioner said the affected workers were 227 ABS ex-workers, 158 from National Light.

    He recalled that since 1979 and 1992, retired workers of the corporations had not been paid their pensions or gratuities.

    The state government also announced that it is currently handling 181 projects across the state.

    It said 175 of them would be ready at the end of this month.

    Another problem confronting the state, according to Nnacheta, is that some projects, which had been abandoned in the communities for the past 30 years, were being resuscitated.

    He said about 50 of them had been identified and approved, especially schools and health facilities.

    The commissioner said there were 12 ongoing road projects in the state, despite the recession.

    Nnacheta said 50 physically challenged persons had been given jobs in the civil service, including the position of a permanent secretary, which he said had never happened anywhere else.

    He noted that despite distractions from certain quarters and the opposition, the Obiano administration had not derailed from ensuring that Anambra residents enjoyed dividends of democracy.

  • Obiano denies funding MASSOB, IPOB

    Obiano denies funding MASSOB, IPOB

    Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano has denied claims that he is among financiers of the Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the state.

    The governor described the allegation as the work of the opposition. He said there was no time he gave sport utility vehicle (SUV) vehicles or cash to the IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    A statement yesterday in Awka, the state capital, by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communications, Prince Oliver Okpala, described as false the allegation that Obiano was funding IPOB and MASSOB.

    It said: “Our decision as law-abiding citizens to play politics according to the rules and to eschew bitterness falsehood and indecent approach to political issues should not be taken for weakness, as nobody has monopoly to the articulation of dangerous propaganda as an instrument of political warfare.

    “Certainly, if these pleas are not heeded, we shall not have any alternative than to return fire for fire, as a word is enough for the wise.”

     

  • Obiano did not travel with 179 people to US-Aide

    Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano has described as spurious allegations that he travelled to the United States with a retinue of 179 staff and associates.

    The governor spoke at the weekend through his aide, James Eze, Senior Special Adviser on Media.

    Justifying the need for the rebuttal, Obiano said the rumour was the handiwork of some poorly informed politicians.

    In the statement which reads in part, the governor’s media aide said: “This story is the worst lie ever told by a disappointingly unintelligent opposition and its propaganda machinery. It is totally incredulous to suggest that Governor Obiano who in all his three years in office has never travelled overseas with any of his closest aides would suddenly open the floodgates and travel with 179 people to a mere graduation in the US. It is even more ridiculous to believe that any governor of Anambra State (not a banana republic, mark you) would conceive of such an idea in the 21st century.”

  • Anambra 2017: Obiano, Obi, Umeh, others clash over Ojukwu

    Top politicians and parties in Anambra State are at one another’s throats over who has the blessing of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, as the November 18 governorship election draws close.

    Investigations confirmed the old controversy between former Governor Peter Obi; former National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh and many others over who has the political blessing of the late Igbo leader in Anambra State has been resurrected.

    The issue has become the most important campaign slogan in the state ahead of the governorship election.

    Being the National Leader of APGA before his death, the party made it a point of duty, since the 2010 governorship election, which Peter Obi won, to concentrate its campaigns on the person and blessing of the late Biafran leader.

    The party under the leadership of Governor Willie Obiano has again resolved to use Ojukwu’s name and his alleged blessing as anchor of its campaigns.

    But other parties, politicians and stakeholders are crying blue murder, accusing APGA of deceiving the people of Anambra with the name of the revered late leader.

    Anambra State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has scolded Obiano for using the name to campaign for the November 18 governorship poll.

    In a statement in Awka, the PDP chairman, Kenneth Emeakayi, alleged Obiano dismantled the billboards mounted by Obi with the pictures of Ojukwu.

    He said it was “nauseating and deceitful” for Obiano to remember the late leader with election around the corner again.

    He lamented: “Just about six months to another governorship election in the state, the Obiano-led APGA administration suddenly remembered the name, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

    “Billboards are now being hoisted, while government-owned vehicles are branded with Ojukwu’s photograph.”

    Other political parties in the state are equally irritated over APGA’s and Obiano’s use of Ojukwu’s name as a major campaign slogan.

    The party’s claim, in recently erected signposts, bearing Ojukwu’s pictures, is that APGA is the party that belongs to Ndigbo.

    Dr. Chike Obidigbo, one of the governorship aspirants on the platform of APC, told The Nation: “I have nothing against APGA.

    “People say APGA is an Igbo party but truly if APGA is an Igbo party, why is it only in Anambra State?

    “Is Abia not Igbo land? Are Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo not Igbo land? Why are they not there?

    “Why do they have to go to campaign for APGA in Edo State? So, APGA is not an Igbo party and the original intention of the founders of APGA was not to make it an Igbo party.

    “The whole idea was to make APGA a regional party; that regional party should form a negotiating bloc into the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”