The Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has carpeted his critics who accused him of mismanaging the state’s resources, saying, “I’m not a hungry governor.”
Obiano and Buhari
The governor, who stated this in a media chat at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, said he was an accomplished person by dint of a good career he had in the banking industry.
He said, “Look, let me tell you, I’m a wealthy person before I came here as a governor. I didn’t come here to steal, because there is nothing here for me to steal.
“I was enjoying my wealth in the United States of America with my family before I was approached to come and do this job as a governor.
“I had already made good money before venturing into politics. I was relishing in the comfort of my house, with swimming pool, basketball court and other good things in the United States before providence brought me here.
“I’m an accomplished person by every measurement. Providence brought me here as governor to serve the people.
“In terms of enjoyment, there is none here to enjoy as a governor, with all this protocol restricting my comfort.”
Obiano had been under criticism over alleged profligacy in the handling of state’s resources, including mismanaging N75bn allegedly left in the state’s coffers by his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi.
But Obiano, in the media chat, said because of his banking background, he had maintained financial prudence and transparency in the management of the state resources.
He said in just two years in office, he was being rated with those who spent eight years in office as governor.
He boasted of his administration’s achievement in security, describing it as outstanding. According to him, Anambra State has now become an investment destination.
The governor said he had built the longest bridge in the state to link Anambra with other states, noting that the bridge would shorten journeys to Nsukka, Abuja and so on.
He added that the three flyovers in Awka under construction would be ready by April.
Former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has reacted to Governor Willie Obiano’s recent allegation that the N75 billion savings handed over to him (Obiano) by Obi, in March 2014, were far less than the actual figure, accusing the current governor of distortion of facts and gross financial mismanagement.
Former Governor Peter Obi
At a recent press conference in Awka, the Anambra State capital, Obiano had dismissed Obi’s claims as “half-truths” pointing out that the former governor left the state with a heavy debt overhang of N106.2 billion when his tenure expired on March 17, 2014.Obiano had wondered how Obi could have given Ndi Anambra a rosy picture of the assets he left behind without showing them the liabilities he incurred.
The governor, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Solomon Osi ta Chukwulobelu, held that out of the N185.1bn, the Obi adminis tration could only pay the sum of N78.9bn when it handed over power in March last year, bringing the total liabilities to N106.2bn.
But Obi, who opened up yester day, in a statement made available to the press by his media aide, Valentine Obienyem, decried how Obiano squandered the hardearned savings in foreign currency which would have gone a long way in sustaining the development of the State.The statement entitled, “We Need a Public Debate on the N75 billion Peter Obi Left,” provided details and listed the areas the money was frittered away to include N5 billion ap proved by the present administration for the celebration of the first 100 days in office, the N1 billion monthly security vote, hundreds of billions spent for 2014 Christmas decoration and buying of horses and the N40 million to mount the gates at the Government’s Lodge.
Others include N35 million spent to mount the gate at the Government’s House, change of roof at the Government House which gulped N700 million, change of all the tiles in the Government House to pale granite at N150 million, procurement of dining table at N25 mil lion, seats at N50 million, gold bed from the United States at N30 million and another gold bed for the governor’s wife at N25 million.
Giving a further breakdown on how Obiano successfully depleted the N75 billion savings within a short period of time, Obienyem said N40 million was spent on imported kitchen cabinet from the United States, N150 million for musical sets for Aguleri, acquisition and relocation of all lands around the governor’s compound at Aguleri, as well as the increase in Commissioners and Special Advisers pay to over N400,000 monthly as against N190,000 Obi’s administration paid.
Other areas the savings was mismanaged include the increase in salary of Senior Special Assistants from N160,000 to N300,000.
According to the former governor, Obiano had also used more vehicles in less than two years than what his predecessor used in eight years, with the present Secretary to the State Government (SSG) using three Prado SUVs and two Toyota Hilux cars; the Chief of Staff two Prado SUVs and two Toyota Hilux cars and the Principal Secretary using two Prado SUVs and one pickup car.
While saying that there is nothing wrong in government borrowing money to meet its genuine demands, Obienyem dismissed the claim that the Obi administration left debts on contracts executed.
His words: “They said that Obi left N106.2 billion (wrong figure) over hangon contractual debts alone. I challenge them to publish the schedule of the debts and the companies being owed.
“As at the time Obi left office, he paid for all the certificates generated on contracts awarded. Certificates are generated on the basis of work completed. Are they saying Obi ought to pay for contracts yet to be done? The same man saying this awarded 35 fresh roads within his first year in office at the total cost of over N81 billion out of which he has paid N10 billion.
“On the other hand, Obi awarded roads totalling N93 billion in his last year in office and paid a total of over N51 billion on those roads before leaving office. Most of those roads were used to campaign for him during electioneering on the premise of continuity,” the statement said.
On the claim by the present administration that it met only N9 billion cash in the treasury Obienyem said: “ It is shocking to note that the Anambra State government said they only met 9 billion cash in the treasury. The point is that Obi left 37 Billion Naira in the treasury. We have the statements of accounts from the banks as at March 17th, 2014. Let me illustrate using a few examples. Fidelity Bank and the money in the account as at 17th March, 2017: account Name: Ministry of Works, No: 5030005514, N2,403,862,359.89; account Name: Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport, No: 5030025545, N2,029,706,380.45; account Name: Local Govt Community Development, account No: 5030042391, N1,734,069,061.09; account Name: Government Account, 5030047097, N3,048,355,196.
Diamond Bank: Account Name: Anambra State Subsidy Account, account No: 0026290200, amount N5,126,258,908.72; account name: UBE Matching Grant Account, No: 0031151473, amount N2,101,864,766.68; account name: Anambra State Joint Local Govt, No: 0022404540; amount N3,276,354,490.46.
First Bank: Name of Account: EF/IGR Consolidated Account, no is 2018779464, amount is N2,139,951,400.00. Enterprise Bank, account name is Govt House, Awka, Account no is 1400036138 and Amount is 1,928,596,191.25. The total is N23,789,018,751 (Twenty-Three Billion, Seven Hundred and Eighty-Seven Million, eighteen hundred, Seven hundred and fifty One kobo.”
“It is pertinent to note that two years have gone and Anambra State government is still debating what was left or not, even when other governors that inherited huge debts, unpaid salaries and repayable loans and bonds have all taken off.
“In Obi’s first six months in office, he had already saved enormous money for the state before he was illegally impeached” he added.
Furthermore, according to Obienyem, “As a matter of fact, during his inauguration, Gov. Obiano listed many projects he would undertake, some of which are building an air port, building three power stations, among others.
“He started three flyovers at the initial cost of N5 billion that was later varied to N15 billion. They diverted the money meant for the road, from Amansea to Amawbia round about to three flyovers. The contractor doing those flyovers is owed over N7 billion.
“He also started the construction of three roads to the airport simultaneously. Are these not enough reasons to convince Anambra peo ple on the need to borrow rather than bring Mr. Peter Obi into it?”
Show evidence you left N75bn -APGA
But the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, has dared the formergovernor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, to produce evidence that he handed over N75bn to his success, Dr Willie Obiano as he claimed in his handover note 18 months ago.
Speaking to reporters in Awka, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Ifeatu Obiokoye, said the party and Governor Obiano decided to keep mute for such a long time because they wanted peace to reign, more so when Obi was still a member of APGA family.
He said there was no doubt ab-initio that both the uninformed and informed minds knew that the controversial N75bn was not existing any where.
“I believe Governor Willie Obiano was being cautious by coming up with the truth now which, if he had done before now, would have embarrassed his predecessor.
‘’What is clear is that even in the handover note the liabilities were not clearly spelt out.
“The other aspect was other monies that was not in liquid cash but in liabilities. What do we now do with the truth as revealed by Governor Obiano.
‘’I would say that it is time for all of us to seriously look at the financial position of the state in the light of the global recession that is also affecting the country,” he said.
Stating that the revenue currently accrued to the state was 48% less than what it used to get three years ago, Obiokoye charged the people of the state to find ways of raising internally generated revenue, IGR, to enable government meet up recurrent and capital expenditures.
While condemning the bloated civil service with more than 6,000 staff by Obi at the terminal days of his administration, Obiokoye praised Obiano for being able to pay workers on 25th of every month and pensioners as at when due.
Obiokoye, who described Obi’s reaction to the N75bn saga as pitiable, said it became necessary the governor told the people of the state the truth because the opposition championed by Obi had been and was still playing politics with the issue to drag the image of Obiano to the mud.
The Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, has dispelled the death rumour of his wife, Ebelechukwu.
Obiano and Buhari
According to a statement issued in Awka on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Emeka Ozumba, the governor said his wife “is hale and hearty.”
An online media had reported that the governor’s wife passed away at the weekend after a plastic surgery in the United States.
But in the statement titled, “Politicking with death in Anambra State: The height of indecency,” the governor said the death rumour was the handiwork of enemies.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to the vicious rumour injected into the social media by an immoral opposition, alleging that the amiable wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano, has passed away.
“This poisonous lie is a new low in opposition politics in Anambra State and one that must be condemned by anyone who has the slightest respect for the right to life and the dignity of the human person.”
He said, for the avoidance of doubt, Mrs. Obiano was alive and in the best physical, psychological and emotional condition possible.
He added that she has been observing her annual vacation in the US and has not had any reason to spend a night in the hospital since she arrived in the country.
He said, “We urge the general public to disregard this immoral rumour as there is no semblance of truth to it.
“The power of life and death resides with the Almighty God and no matter what may be the cruel designs of man against his kind, life only comes to an end when it pleases God.”
ONITSHA—Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, yesterday, said the transfer of Boko Haram prisoners to Ekwulobia prisons in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, was concluded in 2012 under former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Obiano and Buhari
The governor, who spoke through his Senior Special adviser on Political Matters, Mr. Chinedu Obidigwe, said the decision was taken during a seminar organized for officers and men of the Nigeria Prison Service, NPS, in which Ekwulobia and Kuje prisons in Anambra and Abuja capital territory respectively, were chosen as prisons for the Boko Haram inmates.
But former Governor Peter Obi, in a swift reaction, expressed shock about Governor Willie Obiano’s claims, describing it as a blatant lie.
However, Obidigwe said the transfer of Boko Haram suspects would have been effected immediately but for the 2015 general elections on ground that it would affect the second term ambition of Jonathan in the South East geo-political zone.
Obidigwe contended that a decision made under the nose of past administrations in the state and the country in general should not be blamed on the current regime in Anambra.
“In as much as the state government would not want to join issues with such section of the public, it is important to note that the policy of transferring Boko Haram inmates to Anambra State had been made since 2012 under the regimes of President Goodluck Jonathan and Mr. Peter Obi, but for the 2015 general elections which the then President was contesting for a second term.
“Since the transfer of the 47 inmates, panic had gripped the people of Ekwulobia as residents in the area were apprehensive of an imminent attack by members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect,’’he said.
Reacting to the claim that former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Governor Peter Obi were behind the relocation of Boko Haram terrorists to Anambra State, the media aide to Peter Obi, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, said he was shocked that Governor Willie Obiano would personally sign such a release laying claims to what appeared nauseating and childish.
Obienyem said that such a claim would only end up proving to the people that there were more to the relocation than they already knew.
Describing the claim as a blatant lie, Obienyem wondered how an action or a plan concluded by a man who left office almost 16 months ago was being implemented now.
He said: “The governor is clearly looking for an alibi for an action that was against the people. He should look elsewhere and not in the direction of Mr. Peter Obi, who, since he left office, had opted to stay away from Awka and not to distract the present government in any way.”
Obienyem said Anambra people expected commendation from Obiano for Obi for the N75 billion in cash and investment he left for him and for restoring the pride of the state when other governors were bequeathing debts to their successors, rather than trying vainly to drag his name to the mud through statements such as this present one linking him to the Boko Haram issue.
He said the present campaign was not the first, recalling that the same people mass-produced documentaries against Obi and shared them free to people.
Awka – Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra has resolved to donate his salaries to the less privileged members of the society in the state.
Obiano said in Awka on Monday that he had sent a written instruction to his Principal Secretary, Mr Willie Nwokoye, to implement his wish with immediate effect.
“I have been donating it to the church since I became a governor,” he said.
He said that giving help to the less privileged in the society, through properly structured charity organisations, would make for more impact.
“After spending many fruitful years in leadership positions in the private sector, I earn enough pensions to sustain the needs of my modest family.
“So, I felt that my salary will be more useful if it puts a smile on the faces of some underprivileged members of society to whom the smallest amount of money will make a huge difference.’’
The governor added that he and his wife had always been deeply involved in charity and philanthropic activities, long before they went into public life.
He said that his administration had always carved out a place for the underprivileged members of the society.
The governor said that they had always award scholarships to physically challenged students in the state and set up rehabilitation centre for the destitute.
“We have picked up many destitute, including mentally challenged people whom we reunited with their families after healing and rehabilitating them.
“We shall continue to lend a helping hand to people in need as long as the Lord provides us with the resources and the good health to remember our obligations to Him,” he said.
Barely a week ago, Obiano and his wife handed out 200 prosthetic limbs to physically challenged people.
The gesture, he said, was in continuation of his elaborate effort to give meaning to the lives of the needy Nigerians.
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State on Friday visited the President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari in his Aso Drive residence, Abuja.
Obiano’s visit came when speculations were rife that he was planning to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA where he was elected.
But speaking to Journalists at the premises of General Buhari, after a closed door meeting, the governor said that his mission to the president-elect was to congratulate him.
He said he was still in APGA but would work with Buhari, dismissing insinuation of defection.
“It is not correct. I will remain with APGA and work very closely with Mr president”, he said.
The journey was to also reassure Buhari of the support of the south east even as he asked the president-elect not to isolate Ndigbo in federal appointment.
Obiano also made a case for the incoming government to build a second niger bridge.
He said: “Well, I came to congratulate His Excellencey the President -elect on his victory and I am also here to reassure him that Anambra and the south East would support him. I also pleaded with him on some pressing problem that are of importance to the south east like the second Niger bridge and some of the federal roads.
“We also pleaded in the area of appointment for the people of Anambra and of course for people from the south East be it ministerial, ambassadorial and what have you. So basically it is to congratulate the president elect on his well deserved victory.”
Asked if he aligned himself with the new song of change, he said “Well I am a very focused governor. Under my tenure I brought change in the area of security in Anambra state and I will always support things that would bring change to improve the well-being of Ndi Anambra and Nigeria as a whole. So yes.”
The Governor also stated that he was in touch with APC leaders from the South East
“Yes most of them have actually paid a courtesy call on me and yes we are talking and I suspect that the President is not going to give appointment to only people from his party because everybody would support him and so he has to consider people from the other parties so that we can all embrace the change”,he said.
It will be recalled that the member representing Ogbaru federal constituency, Hon. Victor Ogene who was denied a returning ticket on APGA platform recently vowed to frustrate Obiano’s movement into APC after defecting to the party.
“Is the man we are talking about not the one who, in the words of famed novelist, the late Chinua Achebe, had his palm kernel cracked for him by benevolent spirits, yet he refused to be humble. Where is former Governor Peter Obi? Where are the five House of Representatives members that Obiano inherited when he became governor? How many seats did he lead APGA to win in the just concluded elections? The questions are legion, yet very few optimistic answers”, he asked
Last year All Progressives Congress, APC governorship candidate in Anambra State, Senator Chris Ne told the governorship tribunal in Awka that he decided not to report his political opponent, Governor Willie Obiano’s multiple voter’s registration to the police as his party was already aware and handling the issue.
“I did not go to the police because my party has gone to court asking for an order or mandamus against Obiano”, he said.
He disclosed this while testifying under cross examination by counsel to Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Chief Adegboyega AWomolo, SAN, at the tribunal.
He added that he did not know that Obiano forged the voter’s card he used and added that such responsibility belongs to INEC.
However, he agreed knowing that voter registration enables somebody who registered in Lagos, for example, to transfer his voting right to another state.
The APC candidate returned to the witness box to continue his evidence after the Court of Appeal in Enugu restored some paragraphs in his petition challenging the declaration of Willie Obiano as the winner of last year’s election.
He tendered an extract of the INEC voter register for Lagos State where Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano’s name was written as having voted in Governorship and Presidential elections of April 2011.
The card was certified by Lagos State INC, on 23 April, 2014.
Counsel for INEC had asked Ngige if there is any thing from INEC to confirm that the card tendered as exhibit 424 is the current state of the register.
He responded that ‘whatever is in this register as at 24th April, 201r when it was certified is the situation of the register now, since ! Agos State has not done any review of thier register since 2011′
Ngige also tendered the certified true copy of Obiano’ Form EC 4B , an INEC form that captures the particulars of nomination of a candidate as submitted by the respondents party, APGA. The document was admitted in evidence and marked Exhibit P.415.
Also admitted was Obiano’s INEC Form CF 001, candidates’ personal information data form submitted on oath for the election.
The tribunal however rejected the application by Ngige’s counsel, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to tender 66 files containing extracts of alleged missing pages in the election on the ground that they were not certified true copies.
