Is Peter Obi After Obiano?

MADUKA NKEMAKONAM 

Does former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, have an interest in the media trial of his successor, Willie Obiano on the controversial EFCC’s Investigation of Obiano? Has Obi been undermining Obiano’s governorship? 

As it often happens that things are better appreciated in retrospect,  Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, will be remembered for his great restraint to provocations when he leaves office.   

Less than a year into his governorship in 2015, Ndi Anambra woke one morning to the rude shock that captured Boko Haram militants had been lodged at Ekwulobia Prison in the state. What was the connection between Anambra State and the far – flung theatres of Boko Haram terrorism? What was the sense in keeping hardened insurgents in a centre that hardly qualified for medium, let alone, maximum security? Answers were not forthcoming. Public anger mounted like currents of water. Moving to douse the tension, Governor Willie Obiano told the people he was already engaging the federal authorities, assuring that the suspects would be relocated. Shortly after, they were.  

Since her defeat in the APGA Senatorial Primaries in 2018, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu has seized every opportunity to antagonise the Governor. To all her verbal attacks, Obiano had displayed calmness, dismayed like many observers that Bianca could not make the necessary distinction between right and privilege.   To the abuse of an old generation practitioner in the music and entertainment industry whose fraud – laced business proposal was turned down, the Governor chuckled with disappointment.  Yet, none of these experiences come near the taunts Obiano has received at the hands of his predecessor. It would appear that Obi has made hounding of Obiano a directive principle of his (Obi’s) post governorship career.   Notwithstanding that Mr. Peter Obi is widely seen as addicted to media limelight, a good part of his media outings either directly or through his media aides has centered on the continuously changing sum of money his administration left behind. The frequency and frenzy by which this subject is regurgitated indicates an intention to exalt Obi and diminish Obiano.

Analysts are of the view that the shouting silence on the liabilities part of the 2014 handover as well as continued ignoring of sharp contradictions in the handover notes are sufficient indication of attempts to plant  the handover propaganda in people’s consciousness.  In the build up to the November 2017 poll at which Obiano won a second term of office, the former Governor declared war against his successor. Punch newspaper of 14th September, 2017 quoted him thus: “I will fight in this election aggressively. I will fight with the last drop of my blood. I will fight to win this election the way the PDP has not won any election before. If all the money I kept for this government, both in dollar and naira were properly utilised, Anambra will be on top of other states in development by now.”  Learning nothing from the crushing defeat handed him and his hand – picked candidate in the 2017 governorship poll,   Obi soon began prance around again, seizing the November 6, 2021 election as another opportunity to demarket Obiano.

He was widely reported in the media as having asked Ndi Anambra to forgive him for giving them Obiano. At PDP’s rally in his Agulu hometown, Obi claimed that the health institutions, roads and schools he built as Governor had been allowed to decay without new ones.   It is important to remember that at the funeral of Rev Fr Nicholas Tagbo in August 2016, Governor Obiano had reached out to Mr. Peter Obi for reconciliation, asking for forgiveness if he had wronged him (Obi). Why then has Obi remained so bitter? What is this monumental injustice against him that he cannot put behind him?  

We have  insights. First, from the lead story, “Governor Obiano, Peter Obi Tango Over N7.5b Request” of Vanguard, October 20, 2017. According to the publication, “former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, has dismissed as false, claims by his successor, Willie Obiano, that he demanded for N7b from him.” Dismissing Obi’s public denial, Obiano explained further. “When he demanded the money, I told him it was too much as it would not be in the interest of the people… I insisted that I will only use public funds for public purposes. My interest is to improve on the lives of Ndi Anambra. That is why we fell apart.”   Obi continues to deny making such a demand and at the same time has no answers for their parting of ways. But not so Barrister Joe – Martins Uzodike, Commissioner of Information in Obi’s government, Director – General of the APGA – Obiano Campaign Council of 2013.

After his sack as Political Adviser  to Governor Obiano, an angry Uzodike  in several radio interviews called on Obiano to refund the money spent on his election. In News Express of 14 May 2016, Uzodike made these claims: “Someone does not want to meet up the obligation for which he signed to become a governor. I was the DG, somebody else underwrote that money. When Obiano became the Governor, it became obvious that he was not willing to pay the expended money. That is the problem.”  

The greatest takeaway from Uzodike’s corroboration of Obiano’s  revelation is that despite these weighty testimonies, Obi and his media revlers are content with playing the ostrich on this very sensitive issue. That is most unfortunate. But their defiance only helps to bring better understanding of the well – funded disinformation campaign against the present government in the media. One equally finds sufficient motivation for the media hatchet job on EFCC’s watchlist drama here.  It’s remarkable that Governor Willie Obiano has taken these conspiracies in his stride. In spite of being burdened with N127b debts when he assumed office in 2014, he has improved Anambra’s fortunes more than any previous Governor of the State. Perhaps, the biggest lesson in all this is the ultimate benefit of standing for the common, rather than personal interest.     

Nkemakonam is a doctoral student of Public Policy Analysis at  University of Jos.