Tag: Peter Obi

IF President Goodluck Jonathan is never tired of provoking us with his preoccupation with minutiae, we must never be tired of responding to him, even if we appear repetitive. To fail to respond when he remains unflagging in his misplaced zeal is to succumb to misrule and tyranny. The president has long been recognized as an eager anti-federalist, an instinctive monarchist, and a terribly divisive figure, ethnically and religiously. Now, he adds the unflattering reputation of being fixated with what people say of him, particularly abuse. No slight escapes him, and anyone who questions or criticizes him is regarded by the president as rude and deserving of being denounced and punished with federal might.

Nothing exemplifies this disturbing trend as Presidential Jonathan’s startling remarks when he recently played host to a delegation from Anambra State which came to appreciate him for lending a strong helping hand to their outgoing governor, Peter Obi. The visit was probably instigated by Mr Obi himself, a man so adept at picking thanks in the facile manner of a suckling that nature itself found it inescapable to endow him with the permanent facility of a child’s voice. After a few ingratiating remarks by the Anambra delegation, the president launched into a frenzy of embarrassing denunciations against governors whom he described stiffly as loving to abuse the president, and whom he concluded could not gain anything thereby.

In the words of the president: “Peter Obi worked very hard as a governor, very friendly to the government. He is a member of our Economic Management Team and an honorary adviser to the President on Finance and Commerce and he worked very hard, attended all the meetings and made very meaningful contributions. Even the day we announced that he might be leaving, the suggestion was that we should still keep him even if he is no longer the governor of Anambra State. That is the relationship we had. I have to thank Governor Peter Obi for that good relationship.”

He continues: “A number of politicians feel that the best thing to do is to be abusing Mr. President, abusing the federal government and so on. You are elected to develop your state, I think the best thing is to have good relationship with the centre, whether you have a pin or you don’t have, but one day it will come. Wearing boxing gloves, jumping into the boxing ring to face Mr. President does not help the development of any state.”

President Jonathan did not say whom he had in mind. But Barometer can hazard a guess that he probably thought of a few All Progressives Congress (APC) politicians, chiefly governors and legislators, and in particular, perhaps, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State. The president’s undignified observations elicit two disturbing questions. First, just when has it become an issue worth the president losing sleep that individuals and politicians abuse him; and second, where on earth did the president find the sense and logic to tie justice to partisan ‘good behavior?’ Such appalling fixation with the mundane, not to talk of his absurd attachment to small things, do grave injustice to the concept of leadership and to the person of Jonathan himself.

If anyone seeks explanation for the Jonathan presidency’s seeming inability to get its priorities right and why it misjudges issues, the reason can be located squarely in what President Jonathan told the Anambra delegation last week. Indeed, the president’s statement accurately reflects both his worldview and persona, indicating how these two things have being corrupted and weakened by the undue attention he pays to trivia, and showing how that trivia all but constricts any possibility of his doing good even by mistake. In effect, President Jonathan’s statement summarises the hopelessness of his presidency and how quite impossible it is for his government to be inspired and inspiring.

•President to kick-start second Niger Bridge on Monday

President Goodluck Jonathan will on Monday perform the ground breaking of the Second Niger Bridge.

Dr Jonathan stated this when he received a delegation of Anambra State leaders at the Villa in Abuja.

The single bridge which connects the west with the southeast is considered small and hence the need for a second bridge to stop the suffering of road users.

The President also cautioned governors and politicians who abuse the President to desist from it.

The Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe led the delegation which included outgoing Governor Peter Obi, who will step down on March 17.

Jonathan said: “A number of politicians feel that the best thing to do is to be abusing Mr. President, abusing the Federal Government and so on, if you are elected to develop your state, I think the best thing is to have good relationship with the centre, whether you have a pin or you don’t have but one day it will come.

“Wearing boxing gloves, jumping into the boxing ring to face Mr. President does not help the development of any state”, he added

Praising Obi, Jonathan said: “He is a person, very distinct and he was able to manage the House of Assembly, that was predominantly controlled by another political party and we never had any crisis. He has shown very clearly that he is a politician that believes in the people not for himself.”

“We thank you for all these and on our own part, we promise that this relationship we have with Peter Obi, the same relationship we will also have with the incoming governor and deputy”, he assured

He said: “Really you don’t need to thank me, we are the people to thank you because we know the role you played for us during the election, not just delivering Anambra State, am not even talking about votes given to us but the role you played for us, you galvanize people across the country, just like the Principal Secretary said, there is no state you will not see an Anambra person playing key role in the industry or commerce of that state. We owe you appreciation.”

Explaining why the ground breaking ceremony had been delayed, he said: “until we are fully ready, until the finances have been worked out, I would not want to go for a breaking ceremony and another two years, four years, another President would go there for another ground breaking ceremony. “.

According to him, whatever challenges being faced by the country “is transient, very temporary, we will soon get over it by God’s grace”.

The Anambra State delegation urged the President to extend the same hand of support and friendship to incoming Governor Willie Obiano.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation Professor A.B. C Nwosu said: “We humbly ask that you embrace him (Obiano)  partner with him and assist and guide him as you have done with Governor Peter Obi. For that, Sir we the people of Anambra State shall be eternally grateful”

Nwosu noted that stakeholders in the state had mixed feelings about Obi’s “imminent departure because we know that in spite of all the political odds which he encountered while in office, his leadership and service to our people and indeed to Nigeria has been visionary, courageous, credible, exemplary and purposeful.”

With all Obi has done in office, he said that there was “no doubt in our minds that history will judge him very well”.

Governor-elect Obiano told reporters: “Governor Peter Obi has done very well, by the grace of God I am going to be on the foundation he has laid. So, we expect a lot of things to happen under my watch.

“He has done well in what the economics call the enablers, road, health, education, security, women development, youth about 13 items. But we want to be a little different and move Anambra to the next level on four pillars.

“The first is agriculture. I believe that will create a lot of food and of course agro-based industries will begin to spring up and there will be a lot of job employment for the youths.

“The second pillar is oil and gas. As you are aware we have oil in Anambra State and our first effort is to make sure that we are included in the NDDC. Our people in the House of Representatives will make that move very soon and we will be properly acknowledged as oil an producing state.

“The third is trade and commerce, because all the things we are going to be producing will be sold one way or the other and therefore we need a modern market to be able to do so and of course improve the facilities in the existing market. “And of course industrialisation. And so these are the four pillars that will transform Anambra State.

On kidnapping, he said “that is very critical for us, under my watch kidnapping will be a thing of the past for the following reasons: first, as soon as I am sworn in there is going to be a security conference where all the stakeholders in Anambra will come and beyond that we are going to do a lot of things that the present administration has stated, in the area of equipping the vigilante and training them appropriately. In the area of equipping the police, in the area of youth employment because where most of the youths are employed then the rascal few will be easily policable. So we going to ensure that crime in particular kidnapping is a thing of the past.”

All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chairman Victor Umeh said: “I can tell you that Governor Obi succeeded in Anambra State because of the support President Jonathan gave to the government and to our people.”

Notable among the delegates were :Deputy Governor Emeka Sibeudu, Deputy Governor-elect Dr. Nkem Okeke, former Governors Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Chinwoke Mbadinuju. Others are: Mrs. Chinyere Asika, Chief Olisah Metuh, Senator Ben Obi, Hon. Chinwe Nwaebili, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Iyom Josephine Anenih, Bishop Hilary Okeke, Rev. William Okoye, Chief Cletus Ibeto, Sir. Chika Okafor and Chief Innocent Chukwuma, among others.

 

Anambra state governor, Peter Obi, yesterday inaugurated the 2014 Christian pilgrimage for the South East Zone at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

189 of the 720 intending pilgrims from Anambra were transported to Israel via the airport during the inauguration.

The governor urged the pilgrims to be good ambassadors, cautioning them against absconding or engaging in activities capable of tarnishing the image of the country.

He thanked the Federal Government for providing facilities at the airport and implored the pilgrims to pray for President Goodluck Jonathan.

Obi also commended the National Christian Pilgrims Welfare Commission for organising the trip and pledged the support and cooperation of government in ensuring a successful pilgrimage.

The Executive Secretary of the Christian Pilgrims’ Welfare Commission, Mr. John-Kennedy Okpara, advised the pilgrims to view the trip as a period for spiritual transformation.

 

The South East Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. David Eberechukwu, told the pilgrims to use the trip for sober reflection and improve their lives.

The Anambra State Chairman of the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mr. Levi Muonanu, said the pilgrims would be transported in four batches within a week.

Muonanu said that the state had the highest contingent in the zone, adding that adequate arrangement had been made for the trips.

The ceremony was witnessed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri; Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe and the Anglican Primate, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, among others.