Confrontation is the word to describe the exchange between Obi and Obiano’s two aides. The venue was at Newsexpressngr.com, on the 23rd day of November 2014. In what can be described as a semi no holds barred attacks, Valentine Obienyem, representing Peter Obi, fired from all cylinders while Uzochukwu Ezenwanne of Obiano’s camp seemed relatively restrained in his responses but it was still more than enough to confirm what is now an open secret, which I first made public in the Vanguard newspaper interview.
Peter Obi’s aide over-sold the idea that Obiano’s administration has awarded over N50 billion contracts since he assumed office in March 17th 2014. My knowledge of contract awards in governance is that it is always done to address a developmental default in the governed society. It is not a matter of how much contract was awarded but, were they awarded to address projects that are of importance to the general society? Was due process adhered to? Will the State be better off with the completion of the awarded projects?
Valentine Obienyem appear to be propagating his master; Peter Obi’s habitual practice of first of all fixing the very N50 billion in a Fidelity Bank account while dancing around with one borehole project after another until the agreed interest earning matures and it goes straight into his pockets. This very practice of Peter Obi was the main reason behind contractors having to wait for upwards of 2 to 3 years before they are paid during his tenure.
Valentine greatly emphasized that Peter Obi paid all arrears of pension and gratuities of over N35 billion and left over N75 billion in investment and cash before handling over. For a start, the recent payment of N1.92 billion to former staff of ANSEPA and Water Corporation by Governor Willie Obiano contradicts Valentine’s position. It was a past debt of over 10years that ran through the nose of Obi’s administration. The spin efforts of Valentine on the N75 billion issue fell flat because Obi’s administration debt profile cancels out the bogus figure of N75 billion. This fact is known to both aides and Anambraians has also come to know that. It should be understood that praise singing does not and should not come into the issue of a government paying its debts. It is the entitlement of the beneficiaries. The era of meekness and timidity of the soul is gradually giving way. People are increasingly expecting certain things from any government of the day.
Valentine Obienyem stood firmly on N75 billion as being what Obi handed over to Governor Obiano and at the same time admitting that Obiano’s administration is crying. I have problem understanding how somebody that is possession of an unencumbered N75 billion will be crying at the same time. Pain of various degrees is the root of any crying.
My finding from day 1, which was again confirmed by the exchanges between the 2 aides, is that Obiano’s crying stems from between a victim of Peter Obi, in the mould of “THE MORE YOU LOOK, THE LESS YOU SEE” over the propagandist dissemination of N75 billion as being in Anambra State coffers. In the real sense, the liabilities which Obi deceitfully hid from the general public balances out whatever he left in the coffers of Anambra State. Retirees in 2011, 2012 and 2013, all under Peter Obi’s administration were not paid their entitlements along with piled up contractual liabilities and other debts. His mind-blowing-last-minute civil service employment, most of whom comes every day to sleep in their offices remains a challenge and austerity is in our door step. St. Peter Obi, “the immaculate”, should have lived up to his sainthood by laying it all on the table as it is before Anambraians.
Obiano’s predicament is quite clear. On the one hand, Anambraians sees him as having inherited a princely sum of N75 billion and their expectation is proportionate to that. On the other hand, the beneficiaries of the piled up liabilities sees him as having the money to pay them, failing which, he will be seen in a different light. Matters were equally not helped by the fraud Obi perpetuated in the presence of the retirees when they started getting alerts of payments and only for it to stop the next day. The setup makes Obiano to look like the person that stopped the payments, when in actual fact, Obi stopped the payments because he remained the Governor 2 months after the incident.
People that knows Peter Obi, knows all too well that he had set his mind on the very target of N75 billion, specifically to market himself to the nation as the best Governor and the recognition it will attract from the Presidency by way of confidence in any transaction. Payment of the associated liabilities would have affected the targets and the bottom line objective. He counted on Governor Willie Obiano, being a beneficiary of his election efforts to suffer in silence and continue with the script. The problem now is that the load that came with the scripted proxy rule is weighing heavily on Governor Obiano’s shoulders and hence, the crying as Peter Obi’s aide put it.
I do not know the calibre of men Obi has as advisers. Can’t any of them tell him straight up that the idea of running from one bishop to the other, counting on the returns of his gift bonanza investment, complaining of this and that, about Governor Obiano’s administration is not the solution? He should simply engage Governor Obiano in a one on one discussion and sort out all the grey areas and both will follow it up with a joint press conference that will be structured to salvage their honours. Equally, sleeping in the same bedroom with bishops is also not the solution in dealing with victims of his zero conscience actions such as me, addressing them directly is the solution. Sooner or later, the name “Obi” will mean what it truly is, like what he did to the name “Mokwe”.
Governor Obiano failed to appreciate the history of Peter Obi and his trademark proxy tendencies. The reason Peter Obi did not go to prison between 1984 and early 90s’ was because of his practice of using proxies with the exception of the one he was a master at; dry cleaning of means of exchange. Let me speak in a language only Peter Obi will understand. Do I know the source of Peter Obi’s astronomical wealth and when the build-up started? Yes, I do. Do I know if it was a legitimate? No, it was earned through criminal activities. Do I know the proxies that enabled the wealth and what it was all about? Yes, I do. Do I know their names? Yes, I do. Do I know what they are presently doing? Yes, I do. Do I know of how Obi compensated them? Yes, I do. Do I know of a former woman proxy that worked with him as P.A. domestic all through his administration and continues till date in that capacity at his new house at 22A Niger Drive, G.R.A Onitsha? Yes, I do. Do I know her name? Yes, I do. She is a native of Onitsha. Do I know her specific proxy role within the period under reference? Yes, I do. What about the one that was in his cabinet? Yes, I know him; I think he is contesting for an electoral position presently.
Do I know the full name of Chuma “PAKISTAN”? Yes, I do. Do I know where he works at presently? Yes, I do. Do I know why he is in a managerial position in the very place? Yes, I do. Was he ever imprisoned at Atlanta City, U.S.A? Yes, he was. Do I know why he was imprisoned? Yes, I do. Do I know of the ones that jumped bailed from U.S.A over the same offence that Chuma “Pakistan” was imprisoned for? Yes, I do. One is a friend of mine. Was there a relationship between all these people and Peter Obi? Yes, there was. Do I know the man from Benue State that substantially aided the geometric wealth? Yes, I do. His name is Mr. Ernest X. Did he have anything to do with Cross River State? Yes, he did. Do I know his personal doctor in Nigeria? Yes, I do. Did he travel to London recently for medical reasons? Yes, he took off from Abuja International Airport. On 1 or 2 occasions he visited Obi’s government house and he was slighted. Do I know the person that introduced Obi to Mr. Ernest X? Yes, I do. Was it Mr. Ernest X that introduced Obi to Mr. Tanko X of Kaduna State? Yes, it was. Did the new relationship add to the geometric wealth? Yes, it did. Substantially.
Only Peter Obi and some inner friends of his will understand the above 2 paragraphs. The inevitability of having to state the names of all of the above referenced people remains Obi’s saving grace till date. The moral burden which Obi does not have, of involving all these people when none has ever done anything wrong to me is an obstacle that I have problem rationalizing. Time will tell. The garb Peter Obi is putting on in his flirtation with the Presidency is not his true person. Mr Ernest X and Mr. Tanko X (all men of high government authority) were his benefactors and victims at the tail end. I am an insider.
This piece should sound the necessary alarm bells in the event Obi navigates himself to his ministerial position. A detailed full page publication of Obi’s dubious history in all the national dailies may not be kind to the government of the day that decides to gamble with him. He must fix the mess he brought up on himself. The sooner, the better.

CHIEF BONAVENTURE C. MOKWE,
(OBIRIDIKE UMUCHU)
APGA Chieftain.