STATE OF THE STATE

OBIANO And OBI Must Settle Their Differences...

It first started as rumour that all was not well between His Excellency, Gov. Willie Obiano and his predecessor, Sir Peter Obi. It later became more than mere rumour and recently deteriorated into a full-scale war.

We call for an immediate end to this unfortunate scenario where hitherto peaceful Anambra State is now drawn into two big divides of Obiano and Obi camps. For it is the poor masses of dear state that willingly embraced the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA for that CONTINUITY they were promised at different campaign podia that are now bearing the brunt.

On the former governor, Sir Obi … you introduced Gov. Obiano to us; first at the Women Development Centre, now Prof. Dora Akunyili Development Centre for who is who in Anambra State. Then to Ekwulobia Stadium for who is who in the party, APGA. And to Protea Hotel in Lagos for who is who in the Nigerian press – the summary of the phrase while introducing your successor was – ‘’this is the one I’ve chosen to not only continue whatever legacies I’m leaving behind but also whom I am positive will surpass them.”

Few of us that were in all three venues applauded and followed you without pausing or blinking. You led us through the tortuous days, weeks, months of campaign that followed. Most of us that came close understood you barely slept. You talked and talked, sunk enormous resources into the CONTINUITY project. The masterstroke was the FINAL PUSH that saw several projects flagged off with promises to the communities that the one coming after you would see the projects to completion. This seemed to have ensured the landslide victory.

Okwute Ndi Igbo, you promised those people you astutely led for eight years that those projects would see completion. You never lied to them while in office. So, don’t turn the other way as if you have nothing to lose. You have plenty to lose for a state you gave your all for eight fruitful years. You can’t end with a lie. You MUST open up channels of reconciliation so that those CONTINUITY promises will be religiously fulfilled.

The man you handed over with so much trust could not suddenly have gone bad. He is still the man you knew. You can clearly attest that he not only continued the SECURITY set-up he inherited from you but he also appreciably improved on it. He’s also indefatigably CONTINUING Industrialisation and attracting foreign and local investments to the state we all hold dear. He’s significantly improved on IGR generation. People may not believe you wish to hear this but deep in your heart we’re certain you’ll be glad to see he’s genuinely making bold efforts to make APGA stronger than he met it.

But of course there’s more expected from one of his pedigree. Maybe the ‘friends’ now surrounding him are pushing him to veer off from some of the CONTINUITY tracks. Maybe the inexperience of not having been a governor before affected his not yet being excellent in all sectors. Now he has over 20 months to have learnt on the job, we believe it should be forward ever. We strongly believe that your experience will be invaluable to that forward-ever movement. Please do embrace any peace moves for the sake of a state you love so much.

For His Excellency, Dr. Obiano … your predecessor’s paths to ensure your coming were quite thorny. He had to win tough battles to go the way of Anambra North for his successor. He had to settle differences with those he shouldn’t ordinarily have to ensure your emergence. He had to mortgage selfish interests to go all out to ensure you succeeded him. He had to go begging to all other aspirants for you to emerge victorious in the primaries. He had to strategically push many projects towards campaign times to ensure Ndi Anambra bought the APGA CONTINUITY vision. Let’s not delve into the 75 billion naira controversy but fact remains he handed over to you on a clean slate. A quick glance around at your counterparts in all the other 35 states of the federation would tell the huge difference in matters of inheritance.

Your Excellency, such a man couldn’t have meant evil for you. He had eight solid years of very fruitful experience piloting the affairs of this great but quite difficult-to-handle state. Such experience, if you can tap from it, can only assist you to even achieve more for dear state. You are the Chief Executive of the state and we urge you to immediately set up machinery to ensure you settle whatever differences you have with this man.

Whoever tells you not to, tell him/her, get behind me S … S, in this context, may not be Satan; but don’t hesitate to mention that word, SYCOPHANT.

This unnecessary, yes unnecessary, feud is affecting dear state negatively in all aspects including financially, socially, psychologically…

Psychologically? Just one example – imagine school children inside their school bus (provided by your predecessor) going for a debate and the radio tuned to ABS station by driver, then suddenly the commentator starts referring to the ex-governor as a traitor. What would these school children comprehend? A man who renovated or built new blocks in their schools, provided boreholes and electricity, provided ICT facilities and internet access, upgraded their standards to be coming first among Nigerian states … is suddenly a traitor? What psychological effect would this have on their upbringing?

Can’t you think of such scenario and end this for the sake of these leaders of tomorrow?

Imagine another scenario where same ABS station is no longer at your services when you might have left office. We know the efforts and enormous resources you’re sinking into the outfit to bring it to truly international standard and we commend you for that. Now, think of where same people you employed to take charge of the station turn to calling you a traitor when you eventually leave office in that well-known mantra of whatever-goes-around-comes-around? Think of this in your private moment, then look around you – you’ll see enemies of the state at every turn.

If we count the financial loses in propaganda alone to keep this feud going an average Anambrarian may start wondering why he/she should be paying taxes.

Your Excellency, let us be bold to tell you that many people you are keeping as friends are enemies while most you are keeping out as enemies are indeed friends of this state. When your aide tells you only what you want to hear, he’s not your friend. Your friend tells you the right thing to do even when you do not want to hear that.

For AIDES – if you’re a friend, aide or employee of the ex-governor and you tell him not to end this feud, you’re an enemy to Anambra State.

If you’re a commissioner, SA, SSA, Senor or Junior staff/aide of the present government and advises His Excellency to shun reconciliation moves, you’re a sycophant and a big enemy of this state.

For Anambrarians, anywhere you live, however you earn your living, anyone that tells you Obi is this, Obiano is that, thereby suggesting the feud should continue tell him/her to the face that he/she is the real traitor and enemy of Anambra State.

And if you’re a professional press man, self-acclaimed or social media-inducted, do not heat up the state with your wild imaginations, unproven insinuations and utterly biased analysis of Obiano/Obi feud. You are indeed the one hurting dear state to unimaginable proportions.

We want an Anambra that is upward ever, a state that will always bury differences just to move forward, a state our school children will happily sing her anthem and aspire to be bests. We can achieve that. God has blessed us,…let us not fall to man’s greed.

Long Live Anambra State.

TAI EMEKA OBASI
Director of Communications, AU

Alo Umunne, also known as G-20, is a Group of Anambrarians that love and fight for the progress of the State and also power APGA Global Initiative (AGI) and ALL PROGRESSIVES GRAND ALLIANCE DIASPORA on social media

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