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Tag: Obiano

  • Breaking: Obiano re-elected Anambra governor

    Breaking: Obiano re-elected Anambra governor

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has declared Willie Obiano, the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) as the winner of the 2017 Anambra gubernatorial election.

    Obiano won in all the 21 local government areas of the state with a total of 234,071 votes.

    The candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Tony Nwoye was second with 98,752 votes.

    Oseloka Obaze of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, emerged third garnering 70,593 votes, while Osita Chidoka of United Progressives Party, UPP, came a distant fourth with 7,746 votes.

    The election had 37 governorship candidates.

     

    Details Later.

     

  • Anambra : Early returns favour Obiano, Nwoye

    Anambra : Early returns favour Obiano, Nwoye

    With official results of yesterday’s governorship election in Anambra being expected late last night, unofficial returns from the polling wards and units put the incumbent Governor Willie  Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in early lead.

    Tony Nwoye, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is also reported to be doing well, while Oseloka Obaze of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed confidence that he would win.

    Some of the unofficial figures obtained by our correspondents are as follows:

    INEC Results Unit 013 Ward 1 Onitsha North

    APGA 96

    PDP 35

    APC 34

    INEC Results Unit 017 Ward 1 Onitsha North

    APGA 67

    PDP 39

    APC 14

    Umudala Hall Polling unit no 10 Nanka ward 1 Orumba north

    AA 1

    ADP 1

    LP 2

    PPA 1

    APDA 1

    UPP 2

    APC 21

    PDP 40

    APGA 99

    Umuono Hall 2, Nise Ward 2, Awka-South LGA.

    APGA – 94

    APC – 25

    PDP – 8

    APDA – 1

    LP – 1

    Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Campus

    Obodo Okolie polling boots

    Boot 17

    APGA 28,

    PDP 22,

    APC 17,

    AGAP 1,

    APDA 1,

    DPC 1,

    LP 1.

    Boot 001=

    APGA 20,

    PDP 7,

    APC 16,

    ACPN 1,

    UPP 1.

    Boot 008 =

    APGA 37,

    APC 13,

    PDP 6,

    ADP 1,

    UPP 2.

    Boot 0014

    APGA 23,

    APC 17,

    PDP 3,

    APP 1.

    NDIUMEREAKU POLLING BOOTS.

    Boot 003

    APGA 41,

    APC 24,

    PDP 13.

    Boot 009

    APGA 16,

    APC 8,

    PDP 4,

    AA 1,

    LP 1.

    Boot 012

    APGA 9,

    APC 5,

    PDP 7.

    Boot 016

    APGA 17,

    APC 7,

    PDP 9.

    Results Unit 017 Ward 1 Onitsha North

    APGA 67

    PDP 39

    APC 14

    Results from Enugwu Ukwu, Njikoka LGA of the ward

    Ward 1 Enugwu-Ukwu Polling Booth 004

    APGA: 116

    PDP: 0

    APC: 28

    APDA: 2

    Invalid votes: 13

    Ward 1

    Enugwu-Ukwu Polling Booth 002

    APGA: 135

    PDP: 16

    APC: 64

    Invalid votes: 22

    Results Unit 013 Ward 1 Onitsha North

    APGA 96

    PDP 35

    APC 34

     

    Results Polling unit 18

    Nanka ward 1 Orumba north

    LP 1

    ADP 1

    APC 40

    PDP 17

    APGA 81

    PPA 3

    UPP 1

    However, the election was characterized by low turnout of voters, late arrival of election materials and delay in commencement of voting, as well as Card Reader malfunction in many polling units.

    But, the voter apathy had nothing to do with the threat of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that voters should stay away from polling units. Indeed, the exercise was generally peaceful and violent-free across the state.

    An INEC Commissioner, Prince Solomon Soyebi, said the delay was partly because of the late arrival of some of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who were recruited to participate in the exercise. He said in addition to a mix-up in the deployment of the NYSC members to polling centres, some of them reported late because they came from far places, including outside the state.

    Soyebi who spoke at the polling centres located within the Community Primary School, Amawbia also confirmed that some Card Readers had some faults and could not identify finger-prints of some voters, but, said such Card Readers were immediately replaced.

    According to the Director-General of the Obiano Campaign Organisation, Chief Victor Umeh, the low turn-out recorded during the governorship poll did not come as a surprise. He said governorship elections in Anambra State since after 2003 general elections had always recorded voters’ apathy.

    Umeh, the former National Chairman of APGA, said the development had nothing to do with the earlier order by the now proscribed IPOB. He said most people take election days as holidays, and that they rather stay in their homes and rest.

    Voting started late in many polling units. For instance, at 12.57pm, when The Nation called at Polling Unit 001, Ward 1, located at the Umuchu Civic Centre, Aguata Local Government Area, election materials and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had not arrived. The above polling unit, which is located in Anambra South Senatorial zone, is where the candidate of the Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA), Chief Godwin Ezeemo, registered and expected to cast his vote.

    Aroma Polling Units 1 and 2, Awka Ward 1, Awka South Local Government Area, which are about 100 meters from the INEC head office, the exercise commenced relatively earlier at about 9am.

    Most of most residents stayed indoors throughout the duration of the election. All markets in both urban centres of Awka, the state capital, Onitsha, the commercial hub, Nnewi, the industrial town and Ekwulobia, as well as those in the rural areas were deserted. The roads were also deserted, except the presence of the security personnel, including police and army who mounted road blocks at various strategic locations on the roads.

    There was a high incidence of Card Reader failures. INEC officials resorted to use of incidence forms to record particulars of voters who card-readers could not identify their finger prints after accreditation before they were allowed to cast their votes.

    Electoral officials were idle in many polling units in Awka, Umuchu, Agulu, Nri and Amawbia, particularly earlier in the day.

    The governorship candidate of the PPA, Chief Godwin Ezeemo, lamented the late arrival of electoral materials and INEC official at his polling unit. It was learnt that voting started at the unit about 1pm. He expressed frustration over this development, saying it was a deliberate ploy to deny him and his supporters the opportunity to exercise their voting right as Nigerians.

    He said: “I am not desperate to be governor, but I’m worried about the way we are treating ourselves. I’m worried about this nation. The ruling class wants to impoverish this nation.

    “Naturally Black people are like this. They are treating our people as if they are idiots. It is a vicious cycle; in my life time, I don’t see anything good happening in our country. I will wait till 2pm, if they don’t show up, I will go home.”

    Just like in most other polling centres visited where low turnout of voters were observed, in Aguluzogbo Ward 11, polling Centre which has a total of 573 registered voters, only  184 cast votes at the end of the exercise. The Presiding Officer, Miss Tamunoibuomi Felix stated that the exercise was very peaceful and that voters and political party agent conducted themselves peacefully.

    Allegations of rigging also trailed the conduct of the election. For instance, an elderly man was arrested at the Community Primary School, Amawbia, sharing money to prospective voters. The money was carried in a ;Ghana-must-go’ bag. Soyebi assured that the man will be dealt with.

    Reactions have started pouring in, as the results of the election filter in gradually. The National Chairman of APGA, Dr. Victor Umeh, said it was the peaceful atmosphere that surrounded the election was what gave his party victory. While commending the National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, for a peaceful, free and fair election.

    He said the results so far collated showed that APGA was leading comfortably; adding that anything short of that at the end could lead to anarchy. He also said that APGA had equally won the Idemili North Constituency election, which was conducted to fill the vacuum left by the death of the member who occupied the seat.

    Sen. Joy Emodi while reacting to the development described the governorship election as the best so far in the state. She spoke after voting at her Odoakpu Ward 4, in Onitsha yesterday, said her happiness was that those who were threatening fire and brimstone did not succeed in causing mayhem.

    In Enugu-Ukwu Ward 1, where the Deputy Governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke voted, APGA polled 116 votes, PDP zero and APC 28. Dr. Okeke described the election as free, fair and credible.

    Umeh also expressed satisfaction with the manner the governorship poll were conducted, but he said until what were collated reflected the real votes cast he would not say that the entire process was credible and transparent.

    A total of 4609 polling units were provided by INEC throughout the state for the governorship poll for 2,150, 000 registered voters to exercise their franchise between 8am and 2pm.

     

  • Nwoye, Obiano in neck to neck in Ekwunife’s area

    Governor Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Dr Tony Nwoye of All Progressives Congress (APC) are running neck to neck in some areas in Anaocha local government Unit 010.

    At Senator Uche Ekwunife’s unit at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church unit 003, APC 46, APGA 39, PDP 24.

    Unit, 001 APC 45, APGA 42 , PDP 22. Unit 002,  APC 22, APGA 34 and APGA 37. Unit 11 APC 32,  PDP 34 and APGA 53.  Saint Mary’s, APC 21,  PDP 11 and APGA 53. Unit  010 APC11, APGA14 and PDP 7

  • A glimpse into Obiano’s governance style

    There are many features to admire and appreciate about the Philosophy of Confucius, including his Canons, the Nine Classics, The Way of the Higher Man, Rectification of Names,and The Great Learning.  Like Socrates – another great man – Confucius expressed his thoughts verbally and left us to rely on his disciples to read about him. As great as he was, he also admitted there were several things he did not know. For instance, when one of his disciples requested that he tell them about the dead, he replied cryptically: ”While you do not know life, how can you know about death?”. Asked what constituted wisdom, he answered: ”Only to give one’s self earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom”. At a time, Confucius’ disciples were unhappy with him for not being able to solve for them what are considered metaphysical realities – the mysteries of heaven and death. The only metaphysics he recognized was the search for unity in all phenomena, and the efforts to find some stabilizing harmony between the law as right conduct and the regularities of nature. He even derided metaphysics as immodesty without a little laughter. There were more…
    Confucius had some words about oppressive governments, which he expressed to his disciples in practical terms.  Once, he was said to be passing through a rugged mountain and saw a woman wailing uncontrollably. On enquiry, the woman said that her husband and father-in-law were killed by a tiger at that spot and ”now my son has met the same fate”. When Confucius asked why she persisted in living in so dangerous a place, she replied that there was no oppressive government there. Deriving a lesson therefrom, Confucius taught his disciples that oppressive governments were more ferocious than the tiger.
    Often, we equate oppressive governments to military regimes, but this is not always the case.  Any government could be good or bad depending on its principal actors. The case of Anambra State under Governor Willie Obiano is revealing:
    On assumption of office on March 17, 2013, Obiano inherited over N100 billion in savings from his immediate predecessor, Peter Obi. During Obi’s tenure, Anambra State was adjudged by reputable national and international agencies as the least-indebted and as the state with the best network of roads in Nigeria. The state witnessed the provision of critical infrastructure; increased presence of federal and development partners, improved security, transparency  and accountability, and social services, among others. Such were the tremendous investments in education that the state’s rating in external examinations rose significantly from the 26th/27th position to Number 1 nationwide.
    Many people and organizations marvelled at the level of  progress; some wondering by what ‘magic’ Peter Obi achieved those heights. The people were pleased with Obi because by doing the right things, he did not oppress anybody.  Then came several awards for his attainments in several sectors. On the contrary, Anambra State has continued to slide each day under the mismanagement of Chief Willie Obiano. Under his watch, the state has dipped to 7th position in external examinations and leaped backwards to be rated the most-corrupt state in the country! While the number of bank branches in Anambra State tripled during Obi’s tenure, Obiano has not attracted any more.
    As is evident across the state and demonstrated severally by those who should know, Obiano has been steering the ship of Anambra State backwards right from his assumption of office. He made so much noise in his early days in office that he seemed to have forgotten about governance in the ecstasy of victory. Sadly, he is still celebrating; and marked this month with the appointment of several more aides. Presently, he has a retinue of over 1,000 aides, more than 500 of who are from his home town, Aguleri. Such are his nepotistic and parochial inclinations that even as he has practically neglected the infrastructural needs of the state, he has completed over 35 roads in his native Aguleri. In the meantime, most of the abandoned roads have since developed gullies that are threatening to cut off several communities; compelling them to embark on self-help palliatives. Indeed, Obiano’s oppressive policies have had debilitating effects on the majority of Anambrarians and their communities.
    On the Government sensitivity scale, there is no gainsaying that Willie Obiano will rate abysmally. How is it responsive to the yearnings of the people?  Is the government prudent or sees the treasury as an object of loot? What is the government response to the provision of infrastructure? What is the government doing to attract industries? Is Obiano’s government prudent? Comparing the administration of Peter Obi with the Obiano government, the people of Anambra identify Obi with the pleasure of wisdom, while Obiano is with the wisdom of pleasure. While Obi used most of his time exploring means of improving Anambra, the Obiano administration is drenched in Hedonism [pleasure-seeking] and Epicureanism [Let us eat today for tomorrow we shall die].  As governor of Anambra State, Obiano has lived it up to a gross and  unwholesome scale. Consider some of his tastes and idiosyncrasies at public expense: 50-vehicle convoy,  imported customized wines [he recently imported 100 containers of wine with his portrait & APGA logo imprinted on the bottles], blew N5 billion to celebrate his first 100 days in office in 2014,  procured over 400 vehicles for his re-election campaign but not even one for the public schools, to mention a few.
    Is Obiano’s government open and straightforward? Certainly not, as its activities are laced with a profusion of lies and propaganda that have held the people hostage. To date, the Obiano government has spent over N6 billion on the propagation of falsehoods  that have further seared the sensibilities of Anambrarians. For over three and half years, Obiano persistently denied he inherited about N75 billion [some of it in US Dollars] from the Obi administration. Then the bubble burst with the courageous expose by The Nation newspapers of his surreptitious sale of the Dollar savings meant for the State. Confronted with the ultimate truth at the gubernatorial debate of November 12, he admitted lying to the people. Is that not enough reason for a decent person to throw in the towel and ask for pardon? Would Anambra people give him another mandate he has abused for four years?
    Among his other claims is that he had completed 51 roads. I personally went through the list to discover that about 48 of the roads he mentioned were actually started and completed during  Peter Obi’s tenure as governor. He  lied that he exported Ugu [Pumpkin] leaves worth US$5m even as no one in Anambra State has identified the farm or garden where he cultivated such a volume of the highly-perishable vegetable. Goaded by his aides and mania for grand-standing, he also boasted of an order to export 10 million yam tubers. Sadly, none of his aides reminded him that Anambra State is not even self-sufficient in yam production; as the bulk of its supplies come from Benue and Taraba states.
    In the last three years or so, the Obiano government has consistently insulted the sensibilities of Anambra people by its oppressiveness, insensitivity, ineptitude and clouded purpose. But with the election at the corner, Anambra people now have a golden opportunity to  end the long and terrible nightmare of oppression.  Who do we look for? When Tsze-loo asked Confucius, ”What constitute the higher man?”, the Philosopher replied: ”The cultivation of himself with reverential care.”
    In Oseloka Obaze we have a higher man. All the vices exhibited by Willie Obiano and identified in him are not with Oseloka. People [myself included] and organizations that have worked or interacted with him can assert with surety that he pursues with dedicated ardour the tenets of good governance.

    •Obienyem wrote from Agulu, Anambra State.

  • Buhari restores Obiano’s security aides

    Buhari restores Obiano’s security aides

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday directed the reinstatement of the security aides of Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano.

    Welcoming the President on his arrival in Awka, the state capital, for the grand finale of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship rally, the governor complained about the withdrawal of his security aides.

    A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said President Buhari directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG in charge of Operations, Joshak Habila, to restore the governor’s security detail.

  • Buhari directs Police to restore Obiano’s security aides

    Buhari directs Police to restore Obiano’s security aides

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday directed the reinstatement of the security aides of Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State.

    While welcoming the President on arrival Wednesday in Awka for the Grand Finale of the All Progressives Congress Governorship Rally, the governor had complained about the withdrawal of his security aides.

    A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said that President before departing Awka, directed the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations), Joshak Habila to ensure the return of the governor’s security personnel.

     

  • Obiano has failed Anambra, says Chidoka

    Obiano has failed Anambra, says Chidoka

    The Osita Chidoka Campaign Organization has expressed dismay over the threat by the Governor Willie Obiano administration to teachers and other civil servants in the state to vote for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Saturday’s governorship election or face victimisation.

    The campaign organisation, which claims to have evidence of the threat, described the move as wicked and “a vicious act of extreme desperation, symptomatic of a drowning leader cast in a frenetic mode to hang unto power even when it is obvious that the time is up”.

    A press statement from the organisation reads in part: “While we know that the Obiano administration and the APGA have been in morbid fear of the popularity and overwhelming public endorsement of our candidate, Chief Osita Chidoka and our great party, the United Progressive Party (UPP), it is however despicable, to say the least, that in their nervousness they are seeking to drag down innocent civil servants for rejecting them.

    “We salute the courage of the workers for mounting a stiff resistance and exposing this threat. We also know that Governor Obiano is already on his way out. But the Osita Chidoka Campaign will still leave nothing to chance in protecting our civil servants, especially knowing they are dealing with very vicious elements.”

  • ‘Obiano has acquitted himself creditably’

    ‘Obiano has acquitted himself creditably’

    Chuks Iloegbunam is a renowned journalist and Governor Willie Obiano’s Director of Media Relations. In this interview with Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI, he talks about what the governor has done in his first tenure and his chances in this week’s governorship election. 

    What do you consider the achievements of Governor Willie Obiano in the last three and half years?

    There are many of them, but I will give you a few examples, because of time. The first one is security. The way our people put it, it’s the one who is alive that can enjoy life. You cannot enjoy life from the bottom of the grave. So, Governor Obiano gave Anambra people safety, stability and security. Gone are the days when you had kidnappings all over the place almost on a daily basis. Things like armed robbery, banditry and the like were cancelled once and for all by Governor Obiano. That’s a major achievement. Another fundamental achievement is in the realm of agriculture. When these things started, people were making fun of the government, saying that there is nothing like Anambra Rice. But Anambra Rice is all over the place now. Everybody sees it. The funniest aspect is that recently the PDP people were campaigning; former Governor Peter Obi and the PDP governorship candidate, Oseloka Obaze, was there too. Do you know what they were distributing to the people? Anambra Rice. They didn’t even bother to re-bag it to remove the name and the photograph of Governor Obiano on the bag. Now, the governor has invited our people, both in Nigeria and the Diaspora, to come and invest in the state under what we call the Akwuluenor scheme. That is why you have people like Coscharis and other prominent indigenes setting up farms and rice mills all over the place.

    On infrastructure, Governor Obiano has built the longest bridge in Anambra State, connecting the rest of Anambra State to the most agricultural areas of the state and to the oil-producing area. That is vita;l t our economy. Added to that is the fact that we are building an airport city in Umueri. It’s a reality now, because it is under construction. It will have the facility for refueling aircrafts that use Nigerian airspace. What we have in place now is a situation where British Airways or Ethiopian Airlines land in Abuja or Lagos, but have to go to Ghana to refuel. The airport project will be completed in three years, which is within the ambit of Obiano’s second term. When completed, airlines using the Nigerian airspace, both foreign anf local, would come to Umueri to refuel. You are in Awka conducting this interview; you have seen for yourself the ambience of Awka today. I was served in Peter Obi’s administration as Chief of Staff. When we were there, on this same expressway that divides Awka into two, in the area where they built a flyover at Kwata junction, there used to be a lot of traffic jams. One day a trailer came and plunged into the area, estroyed many buildings and shattered many vehicles, including that of the commissioner for commerce then, Mr. Chima, who managed to survive. Today, in place of that chaos Governor Obiano has built three flyovers. Now, if you were coming from the secretarial, when you got to the Aroma junction, you turned right, left or you moved onwards to the place where you have the teaching hospital. If you are coming from Enugu and you are going towards Amawbia, Abagana or Onitsha, you rode over the flyover and avoided Aroma junction. The governor had the foresight to undertake these projects, but what did he get in return? His detractors and the opposition keep saying that the flyovers are sinking. These flyovers have become something like the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. They say the flyovers have sinking; they’ve been sinking since they were completed nearly two years ago, but they have not sunk yet. The fact is that the flyovers were constructed by a reputable engineering firm. So, the integrity of the three flyovers are not in any doubt whatsoever. Dr. Chris Ngige comes to town regularly and he drives over these flyovers with his convoy. Former Governor Peter Obi comes to Awka often and he uses the flyovers. Tony Nwoye, the candidate of the APC, also uses these flyovers. All the other candidates use the flyovers. How can they be using flyovers that are in danger of imminent collapse? These guys know that the flyovers are strong and redoubtable, but they keep telling lies.

    Beside these flyovers critics say the governor cannot name any other road project started and completed by him. How do you react to this?

    This is part of the fallacies being peddled against Governor Obiano, particularly in the social media. The very road you drove on to come to this Government House; you saw how good it is and let me tell you that it is a federal road. And can tell you that it was not built by the Federal Government. It was built by the same Governor Obiano that they are traducing. Is it not a built and completed road? They say he has not built and completed any road, then they accuse him of building 35 roads in his hometown of Aguleri. How do you reconcile this sort of discrepancies and contradictions? All over the place, he has been busy constructing roads. Not only that; he has been even busier repairing poorly-constructed roads of the Peter Obi tenure. The Minister of Power, Works and Housing and former Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, was here in Awka. He announced it openly here in Awka and in Abuja that the Federal Government owes us the sum of N43.8 billion, for federal roads reconstructed by the Obiano administration. The records are all over the place. There are 21 local governments in Anambra. There is no longer local government you visit today that you will not find at least six roads tarred by the Obiano administration.

    Governor Obiano appears to be fighting for not just his re-election, but for the survival of APGA. Do you agree?

    Anambra State is the only state today where APGA is in power. Nevertheless, do not forget that APGA was in power in Imo State, but the man there stole that mandate by defecting to the APC. APGA is believed to have won the last governorship election in Abia State. But that is neither here nor there at the moment. APGA is the only party that is rooted in Igbo land. It is the party endorsed by Gen. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu. APGA is the party that has been in power in this state for nearly 12 years. Anambra State is doing better than any other state in the Southeast today. Anambra State does not owe one naira in salaries, pensions or gratuities. Anambra State students are doing well in examinations, sporting competitions and in debates in Nigeria and within the international community. Somebody’s vision and sense of mission has guaranteed all of these dividends of democracy. That is why we are saying, if it’s not broken, don’t mend it. That is why we say one good term deserves a second.

    What exactly led to the falling apart of Governor Obiano and his predecessor, Peter Obi?

    What I know is that I started work here 15 months ago, precisely July 1, 2016. Before then, both of them were already at loggerheads. Peter Obi reserves the right to tell his own story; I can’t tell his story, because I’m not his spokesperson or biographer. But I find it difficult to believe that the man who was governor for eight years, funded the political party for eight years and who claims to be a man of the people can be ousted from that party. But what I can say is that we can’t seat down and watch him destroy the same party. It is just like crossing a river and blowing the bridge. That is not going to happen in this state.

    In your opinion, what impact is the IPOB agitation going to have on this election?

    All I can say is that it is not going to lead to a boycott of the ballot; far from it. The election would hold as scheduled on November 18. We hope that the instruments of stability already established and instituted by Governor Obiano will hold; that election riggers and criminals will not come and upset the peace and stability already enthroned in the state. We have to have a government in place here; otherwise anarchy will be let loose. If that happens, there will be a vacuum and they will come and import some man from some place and say he is our sole administrator. We don’t want to entertain that kind of nonsense this time around.

    There are allegations that the government ordered civil servants to tender their voters’ card or forfeit their salary some months ago. Is it true and for what purpose?

    That’s not true; that’s nonsense. Don’t give it a thought; perish the thought. Don’t forget that for some people, the time of political campaigns is the time of manufacturing of stories and fabrication of lies. So, they tell all kinds of lies. One must be cool-headed, seat down and analyze whatever one hears; you take the lies, which constitute the chaff and throw them away and you take the truth and deal with them.

    What are the chances of APGA winning this election, which is shaping up like a three-horse race?

    This kind of question was put to Governor Obiano on the day he won the APGA primary. He said two things which I’ve taken to mind. One; that power belongs to God and it is He who makes the king. It is God that will decide who will win the election. Secondly, a reporter asked him, why he is so confident that he would emerge victorious. Do you know what Governor Obiano said? He said his work in Anambra State will speak for me. Governor Obiano has acquitted himself creditably and the people of Anambra know the side their bread is buttered. That is why I believe I would have a second term to complete the job I have started.

  • Revealed: How Obiano govt sold Anambra’s dollar savings

    Revealed: How Obiano govt sold Anambra’s dollar savings

    A crisis is brewing between Anambra State Governor Willy Obiano and opposition parties over the alleged secret sale of the state’s dollar savings in the last three and half years.

    The governor, according to sources, has disposed of the cash saved for the state by his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi. In the last transaction, over N10 billion was realized, according to one documents The Nation stumbled on.

    The last transaction was carried out, following a letter of March 17, 2017 by the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency.

    In the letter of authority, its Chief Executive Officer Joe-Billy Ekwunife, directed Afrinvest, the firm appointed by Obiano to manage the savings to carry out the transaction.

    The agency directed the firm to execute a partial sale of the Eurobond Portfolio domiciled with two commercial banks to raise N3.7 billion and N6.3 billion.

    According to sources, the bonds in one commercial bank that were disposed, following the directive, included 6.75 per cent 28 January 2021 FGN bond with a face value of $30,000 and 6.38 per cent 12 July 2023 FGN bond with a face value of $50,00.

    “There are also the 10.5 per cent 19 October bond with a face value of $21,000 and eight percent July 2021 FGN Bond with a face value of $14,000. The FBN bond was sold in two tranches of $9,000 and $5,000. Prior to their sale, the savings had yielded billions of Naira as revealed by the manager,” the source added.

    Also, it was disclosed that each time the bonds were sold, the agency directed Afrinvest to credit the money realised into the Anambra State Special Excess Crude Account. It was not immediately clear yesterday if the special account is not under the purview the state’s Accountant-General.

    It was learnt that the first sale of the dollars accounted for the disposal of 8.25 per cent of a first generation bank’s bonds from which about $10.2 million was realised. This amounted to about N3 billion, going by the exchange rate at the time. The bond, which was to mature in August 2020, had an annual coupon yield of 8. 25 per cent and it was purchased by another bank at a much discounted rate on December 18, 2015.

    The sale was carried out “over the counter” away from public glare, it was alleged.

    The agency’s chief executive, Ekwunife, declined to comment when his reaction was sought. He cut the phone when the allegation was mentioned to him.

    Budget and Planning Commissioner Mark Okoye could not be reached for comments; he did not pick his phone.

    Former Information Commissioner Chief Joe-Martin Uzodike said the disclosures were worrisome, lamenting that the governor had turned the state upside down.

    He said: “If the foreign savings had been left intact, it would have increased to N200 billion. Obiano has come to kill the state and not to save it.”

    The media aide to former Governor Obi, Valentine Obienyem, lamented that Obiono, a banker-turned governor, sold the last dollars at N314 when the dollar was sold for N415.

    He added: “Governor Obiano insisted on under-selling – against all advice, fuelling suspicion that there were other considerations. The question is: who actually bought the dollars? The same person selling the dollar savings had about N50 billion in local currency handed over to him, which he squandered.

    “Regrettably today, Anambra is owing over N60 billion in debts. It has the highest number of abandoned projects. In four years, the governor is yet to complete three kilometers of roads in any local government, except his town.”

    Obiano and Obi have been quarrelling over the finances of the state. While the governor said he inherited a huge debt from Obi administration, Obi denied it, saying but he left over 80 billion in the state coffer.

    Also, Obiano has alleged that his predecessor had demanded N50 billion from him as expenses for the election that brought him to power. Obi denied the allegation, recalling that Obiano had apologized for the falsehood in the past when he visited him in his home in company of a bishop.

     

  • ‘Anambra ‘ll vote for Obiano’

    ‘Anambra ‘ll vote for Obiano’

    Chief Joseph Okonkwo is the former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State. He is supporting the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate, Governor Willie Obiano. In this interview with reporters in Enugwu-Ukwu, he speaks on the governor’s re-election bid. Nwanosike Onu was there.

    WhaT is your assessment of the political party taken part in the election?

    Let me tell you right away that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is the only party genuinely contesting this election. It is the only party with a legitimate candidate. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are gold diggers in the November 18, governorship election. They are being sponsored by godfathers. In the PDP, a former governor of the state who is a new joiner, a fresh member so to say brought his foster son and school mate at Christ the King College (CKC) Onitsha to join him hijack PDP. He has made him the party’s candidate in the election, but from all indications, they have not officially joined the party as I learnt. So, both the party’s governorship candidate and his deputy including their financier hijacked the primaries of PDP to the annoyance of original members. They have caused the disintegration of PDP in Anambra State as I speak. There is now the senator Annie Okonkwo and his group, the Dr. Alex Obiogbolu faction which have ended up in court over the same reasons. You now see that the PDP will be going into the election factionalised and disintegrated. How can a house divided against itself stand? As for the APC, some principal actors in that party led the burning of Anambra state during the reign of Dr. Chris Ngige as governor. They also abducted him. By our efforts then, myself and Igwe Peter Anugwu of Mbaukwu, Ngige secured his freedom at choice hotel in Awka where we disperse the hoodlums and brigands who burnt the state down.

    Could you shed light on the N7.5b election fund?

    You see, shortly after he left office, former Governor Peter Obi came to my house in Abuja to complain to me how he spent the sum of N7.5b on Obiano in 2013 to make him governor for which he needed a refund, but which Obiano was not yielding to. I was sort of taken a back and I asked him a few questions. How come this claim, I asked him. He repeated in my own house in Abuja the N7.5b. I then reminded him that when he was aspiring to be governor in 2003, I was one of the few people he approached. In fact, he visited my home in Enugu with drinks in company of one Oscar Onwudiwe from Ogbunike and Chukwudi Okafor from Enugwu-Ukwu, my home town. He gave me his manifesto and told me his ambition while soliciting my help and advice as a political “guru” in the state as he said who knows Anambra State in and out. So, when he sought to contest, I thought he was genuine having told me his brother and sister were reverend father and sister in the Catholic Church. In fact, I felt he was coming from a religious background. But at a stage as we talked, I found that he ran out of money with which to prosecute his ambition and had to rely on friends some of who are businessmen from Anambra resident in Lagos. It was then I also found that he was indebted to some banks. So, when he made this claim of N7.5b, he spent on Obiano to make him governor, I asked how come knowing that before you won the election you were not buoyant again. You see, after he was sworn-in as governor, because of his low profile style, little did we know until we got the information that he was taking a security vote of N1.5b, and later N2b. Again, when he forcefully took over public lands in Onitsha and forced the original owners out with the excuse that he was brining in a brewery, these people that brew “Hero Beer” in the name of the state, little did we know that it was a personal investment against what he told us. So what I am trying to say is that he lacked the moral rectitude to attack Obiano who is clean and a perfect gentleman saying he refused to repay N7.5b spent on him during the 2013 governorship elections if he did.

    But, these things you just said have not explained what transpired in your house at Abuja when he came complaining to you about the money and Obiano’s refusal to reimburse him…

    When he told me Obiano owned him N7.5b and sought my help to recover it, I asked him how he got that kind of money when I know that before he became governor he was indebted to some individuals and banks. He didn’t answer me the question but said that I was insulting him because he came to my house and stormed out. But I told him that I won’t be a party to fleecing the people of the state the sum of N7.5m if ever he spent it. Obiano is using that money prudentially to build bridges in Awka and some other places which is visible, pay salaries which some states can’t, provide security, build roads and revolutionise agriculture and we are happy for that. But I know that Obi didn’t spend that kind of money on anybody if you knew him very well.