Over the years, I have been privileged to visit many Government Houses across the country, in the course of my work, as a journalist, to keep interview appointments with governors. My experience has been to meet with these state chief executives in the night, after official hours. I remember one occasion, where my interview meeting with a governor started at 2am and ended at 4.30am. By the time I left for my hotel room, to catch some sleep, in what was left of the night, there were many other people, in the governor’s lounge, waiting to see him.

And this is the case almost every day, as long as these governors are in their states or in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Some people would be wondering why those in government and, indeed, politicians generally, prefer to keep appointments in the night or hold meeting at such odd hours. One known politicians made a joke of it. He said that politicians meet in the night because that’s when honest people work. But my friend, who, I must confess, is mischievous, thinks otherwise. He said that governors and politicians are more comfortable holding meetings or keeping appointments in the night because they function like witches. His argument is that witches do not operate in the day time, as, according to him, they are afraid of light. Whatever is the case, whether politicians work in the night because it’s when “honest people” operate, as the politician said, or because they plot evil, like witches, as my friend would want us to believe, the truth is that nocturnal meetings or businesses are part of Nigerian politics.

However, recently, I was pleasantly surprised to see a different culture in one particular Government House. Our interview appointment with the governor was fixed for 9pm. And by 10.30pm, it was over. By then, there was nobody in the governor’s waiting room.There were no politicians or associates hanging out over beer and pepper soup. There were no half unclothed girls hanging out with politicians. There was no social engagement. And I understand that this is always the case in Anambra State, where Mr. Peter Obi holds sway as governor. The tradition is for the governor to go to the office in the morning, do paper work, attend to officials matters, hold meetings, attend state functions and return home when he would have finished the day’s job. If he has to hold state banquet, for any visiting official, it is usually before 8pm so that such social function would be concluded on time for people to go home. This is different from what obtains in most Government Houses in the country.

For me, this style or what I would call the Obi governance model is the best and it’s highly recommend to those who want to work and keep their sanity. When a governor or chief executive does not have unnecessary crowd around him, whether in the day or night, it is easier for him to think. In such situation, there will not be much distraction, which is a disease most people in government suffer. When there’s less distraction, much more is achieved. When there is distraction, nothing would be achieved. It’s clear that about 90 percent of productive time in government is used for frivolities and politics, while a paltry 10 percent is used to do the real business of governance. This explains why government fails, most times, in this part of the world. Were those in government using 90 percent to work, while 10 percent is for leisure or ceremonies, I bet you that the country would have moved many notches ahead.

I would also give Governor Obi kudos for his ability to reduce the cost of governance to the barest minimum. At a time when other governors have hundreds of aides, in special advisers, executive assistants, senior special advisers, advisers, commissioners and other officials, Anambra State is noted for making do with a compact cabinet and governor’s aides. With lean cabinet and manageable aides, money that would have been spent paying salaries and allowances to obviously redundant government officials, whose are, more or less, hangers-on, is saved and used for the development of the state. We have always known that one of the problems of governance in the country, at whatever level, is the large overhead or running cost. Owing to the appointment of an army of aides, a large chunk of the budget is spent on recurrent rather than capital expenditure. And this does not contribute to the development of the country or the improvement of the welfare of the majority of the citizenry.

[b]I think that Obi’s style is a lesson in economics. That people call him “Aridite,” as a derogatory way of describing his prudence and inability to fritter away government funds on social parties and the servicing of government leeches, is a virtue rather than a vice. That he prefers to travel light, only with the necessary people and not with large number of government officials, on his entourage, is a blessing for Anambra State, as it is a way of conserving funds. If others in government operate the same way, the wastages that are inherent in government would stop and government would have more money to work for the people, who they have a duty to cater to.
No doubt, it’s because of Obi’s ability to cut out waste in his operations and government that has made it possible for Anambra, which is neither an oil producing state nor receiving jumbo monthly allocation from the federation account, to execute projects that touch the lives of residents and indigenes of Anambra. From executed projects, in the last five years that Obi has been in the saddle, there is an indication that the governor has done well. This is glaring in road construction and reconstruction, health care delivery, education, manpower development and wealth creation, among others. [/b]

To be sure, the road network in Anambra, both at the state capital and in the communities and their good condition cannot but excite any motorist. More exciting is the inter-connectivity of the communities with good roads. With this link, it is easier to connect one community to another, without knowing the boundaries. I learnt that in constructing roads, some communities, which had, hitherto, been cut off, owing to the bad state of the roads, now have asphalt roads, for the first time. With this, these communities are connected to the other parts of the state. This, I dare say, makes it easier for farmers, for instance, to transport their farm produce to the cities, where they would sell them to earn money for the upkeep of their families.

From what is on ground, Obi has also done something commendable in the educational sector. The development of the permanent site/main campus of the Anambra State University, Igbariam, is a bold step for a governor who has made education one of the cardinal points of his government. With the take over of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, which was built by Anambra State government, by the Federal Government, successive Anambra State governments have been developing a new state university. I understand that the original plan for the state university was to have the main campus at Igbariam, while there would be another campus in Uli. But a former governor of the state, it is said, changed the programme and instead made Uli, his hometown, the location of the main campus of the university, while Igbariam became the other campus. No doubt in the spirit of justice and equity, Obi decided to go back to the original concept and therefore, reverted to Igbariam as the main campus. Now the permanent site of the main campus, at Igbariam, is being developed, with construction work going on in about two faculties and the administrative building.

Primary and secondary schools have equally received a boost in Anambra, with the establishment of computer centres and science laboratories. Also, the plan to construct 4, 000 new classrooms, for primary schools, across the state, in four years, is being pursued vigorously. In the healthcare sector, the development of a teaching hospital, among others, cannot but excite many, who know the importance of such a health centre. With construction work already at advanced stage and equipment being assembled, it’s expected that when the hospital comes into operations medical students would be better trained, while those who are plagued by complicated ailments would have a place to receive good medical attention.

The Onitsha business parks could not have come at a better time than now. Onitsha, which is one of the biggest business hobs in Africa, needs such facilities to fully realise its potentiality. And talking of business, it’s commendable that Obi has been able to attract a South African company, Castel Brewery, to establish a plant in Anambra. Such business outlet would go a long way in restoring confidence among businessmen and woman, to the effect that business could thrive in the state. Needless to mention the number of jobs such facility would create in the state.

The question would be asked: If Obi is doing this much, how come some people in the state are saying that he has not done anything? I do not know. However, what I do know is that it will be a miracle for a governor to have peace in a state where all the big names are in opposition political party and want their group to be in control. This is even moreso when you consider the fact that it was in Anambra that a sitting governor, in the person of Dr. Chris Ngige, who, came to office through a flawed election that was eventually annulled, was abducted by some powerful members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Also, recall that it was in Anambra that an organised mob, sponsored by powerful politicians, held sway for many days, within which period government property, including Government House (administrative and official residence) were destroyed. In Anambra, Obi was also impeached illegally and he only regained his mandate through the instrumentality of the law. He was equally shoved aside in 2007, when his tenure had not elapsed and had to resort to legal action to regain his seat. All these show that opposition is strong in Anambra and any governor whatsoever, let alone one who is in what could pass for a minority political party, must, naturally be under fire.

In such a setting or circumstances, it’s obvious that Obi will not have rest and cannot impress his transducers, who would rather have somebody from their political party or their crony to occupy the governorship seat in Anambra. However, the fact that Obi was able to win an election, for a second term in office, shows that the masses appreciate what he has been able to do in the last five years. Also, the fact that his party, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), won about 60 percent of the seats in the state’s House of Assembly, for the first time in nine years and produced many House of Representatives members is an indication of the acceptance of Obi by the majority of Anambra people. The onus, therefore, is on him to press on with his programme, so that by the time he completes his tenure there would not be any doubt that he fulfilled, diligently, his own side of the Social Contract.


A look at the Peter Obi governance model
PUBLIC SPHERE By Onuoha Ukeh [onukeh@sunnewsonline.com]
Friday, May 20, 2011

Sometimes I get angry that he is not spreading the ideals of APGA fast enough, but I am yet to see any evidence that this Governor is not among the best in Nigeria.

That people call him “Aridite,” "Aradite" as a derogatory way of describing his prudence and inability to fritter away government funds on social parties and the servicing of government leeches, is a virtue rather than a vice.

LOL @ "Aradite" !

The guy reminds me of the song "Lets hear it for the boy", where the song goes:

"My baby may not be rich,
He's counting every dime!
But he love me loves me loves me . . ."


Probably the type of governor Anambra state deserves.

I came across this document detailing all the road works in Anambra state, from the early 2000s to date, and it says a lot about who did what roads -Ngige and Peter Obi.
Document is VERY DETAILED.

You be the judge. 

He might be doing a good job but I think He's just too conservative,