₦airaland Forum

It was Professor Chukwuma Soludo, the renowned economist, who made the point that Mr Peter Obi circulated poverty in his eight year reign as Governor of Anambra State. While Mr Obi’s media aide took to name – calling in response, the former CBN Governor backed up his submission with poverty index figures from the National Office of Statistics.

It is becoming glaring to even ordinary people of Anambra State that Obi’s development efforts were defined by deficit of standards and quality. In projects and staff remuneration, the former Governor displayed an addiction for the cheapest categories even as he tirelessly propounded theories of wealth creation.

Mr Obi saw no contradiction in paying workers survival wages while he supposedly saved billions of naira for the State. Although the regime boasts of building over 800 kilometres of roads but in reality these are of very poor quality and are gradually being reconstructed by his successor whereas the roads built earlier by Senator Chris Ngige are still intact. But it is not only in economic management that we encounter the poverty of Peter Obi’s vision. The severe limitation of his politics is finally proving to be a cul de sac.

Former Governor of old Anambra State, Jim Nwobodo, at a press conference sometime in 1981 read out from a document he claimed to be the product of a research by the rival NPN into the party’s shallow presence in the State despite the big names paraded as members. The report questioned the commitment of these members of the party and went ahead to describe them as ‘Ekwueme – in town- politicians.’

It was said of these members of the party that they hardly attended party meetings nor lent hands to building the party in any tangible way and were only to be seen asserting their presence only when the Vice President was visiting the State! This political thought, if it can be called that, has useful relevance in the discussion of Peter Obi’s politics.

Notwithstanding the fortune fate placed on him to play a leading role in Nigerian politics, Obi could not rise beyond incidental politics in the twelve years of his membership of APGA. Where is the programme of emancipation for the people of the south – east that Obi championed? Where is the plan Obi put up for alliances with other parts of the country? What vision had Obi for uniting the people of the south – east behind a common cause? What agenda for national dialogue did Obi ever set? Did his leadership style permit consultation and consensus with the critical constituencies?

Had Obi the prerequisite leadership qualities, they would have shown even before his assuming office. The circumstances which the denial of his mandate in the 2003 election threw up were such that would have produced a great opposition leader. There was abundant goodwill to be tapped from the outcry against the daylight rigging of the state’s governorship election. The crude and egoistic display of power by the PDP cabal was resented by Ndi Anambra who would have readily embraced an organized advocacy to demonstrate their contempt for these wreckers of society. No one fitted the bill better than Obi to assume the role of an opposition leader, aggregating public opinion and proffering superior alternatives to the gyrations of the resulting government. As it turned out, Mr Obi filed his petition and for the most part went on with his trading.

Not unexpectedly, the eight years of his governorship had no underlining political or economic transformational objectives. In the absence of a defining mission, Mr Obi resorted to a policy of ‘my relationship with the President.’ Thus, one of his first acts was to ingratiate himself to President Obasanjo. It was with consternation that many watched Governor Obi courting the friendship of the same Obasanjo under whose superintendence, the state had been destabilized and her people traumatized. To underscore the extent of his involvement with Obasanjo, when the impeachment axe dangled over Obi, it was to the sly civilian dictator that Obi ran to for survival strategies rather than to his party leadership. It was only when the same authority that provided the impeachment legislators with police protection advised Obi to lock up the assembly complex that Obi counted his teeth with his tongue, as we say in Igbo.

The raw experience in Obasanjo’s hands notwithstanding, Obi continued with the personal relations with the President policy when the late Umaru Yaradua became President. It was on account of this unusual closeness to Presidents who were of the PDP that analysts at this time began to project that it was only a matter of time before Obi defected to PDP. The obsession was such that even when the late President had been incapacitated by sickness and well meaning Nigerians harped on the need for the Vice President to become acting President, Mr Obi opposed this line of action. Contrary to the demand of overriding national interest, Obi proposed that the ailing President should be let alone to be in office and yet inactive; arguing that there had been examples of state leaders with prolonged illness.

The same man who was so enamoured of Yar’adua’s presidency quickly moved to cozy up to Jonathan once the latter ascended the throne. Obi’s choreographed collaboration with Jonathan is very much fresh in our minds that there is no need boring the reader with the details. But while a Governor Obi maintained a fawning relationship with each PDP occupant of the Villa, what was his attitude to the gestures of his constituents and the fortunes of the party that brought him to power?

For reasons best known to him, Mr Obi largely shielded himself from the people he was supposed to be preoccupied with matters of their wellbeing. Perplexed by the perceived aloofness of his state Governor, Mr Okey Ndibe later described him as ‘self absorbed.’ Obi was wont to ignore cheers from the masses, obviously regarding them as intrusive and hardly went out to engage with the people except when forced by circumstance. Shortly after taking office in March 2006 he jolted a group of APGA supporters he used to call incessantly to carry out services for him that they should not be seen hanging around Government House; that he would send for them whenever he had need for them!

It has been suggested that the reason Mr Obi created a distance between him and the people was to ward off requests for monetary and other forms of assistance. Some others say the behavior goes beyond that, reasoning that the nearly three months it took Obi to constitute his cabinet was a strong indication of someone who would have run Government with just a few aides if he had his way.

This view gains significant substantiation in Mr Obi’s awful distrust of people whenever the subject was money. The trader – turned politician had developed the uncharitable mindset of doubting that other people could be trusted with judicious use of money. And since only he could be trusted with honest and prudent expenditure, he had to oversee everything resulting in the snail speed for which his administration became notorious. Government machinery was in some cases crippled by this pathological aversion for collectivism. The Awka Capital Development Authority would not be constituted and inaugurated lest public fund enters private pocket. It was much for the same reason that local government council elections were not conducted until he ran out of excuses and public pressure forced his hands.

As for APGA, Peter Obi could not be bothered about its state except at the approach of elections. Even at that, the fate of APGA outside Anambra State was out of the question. Mr Obi would neither shore up other state chapters of the party nor leave Anambra to campaign for APGA candidates – for fear of hurting his PDP governor friends. At such election periods, it was a different, humble and friendly Obi who had time for APGA officials in Anambra State and ordinary folks. Subsequently, the people learnt to exact as much as they could from him at election season before he became incommunicado once more.

Given that Mr Obi has no stomach for opposition politics; and has more or less become addicted to Presidential Villa politics, what will he do now that a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph is at the doorstep? With his recent trip to South Africa to check on his business investments, Mr Obi may have begun his retirement leave from politics.

Okonkwo, a community leader, wrote from Agulu, Anaocha Local Govt of Anambra State.

AnambraDota:
Don't worry we all know Pita Obi pls who is your father, its only a standing object that falls, so your papa is already down no need to expect him to fall again.

ImperialYoruba:
[s]aren't you tired of the deception fed to you by your nwafors and ngwas? Yoruba is the wealthiest region in per capita income in Nigeria. If division brings us sufferness imagine your calamity in east, 40million Ibos packed on a land the size of plateau state, and half of it is a sink hole. Just picture that![/s]

HopeAtHand:
The op of this thread has maliciously included Ikwerre amongst the various Igbo clans.

The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recognises the Igbo and Ikwerre as two separate tribes..Nigerians can always refer to the constitution whenever that need arises.

We are not surprised at the Igbos and their tendencies because other Nigerians can prove that are always a provocative tribe and have the nature of attaching themselves to other people either by hook or crook.

tonychristopher, Pazienza, emmysoftyou, babyosisi, freeglobe, Abagworo and other NL igbos should do well to inform the op.

NwaNimo1:
Performance Please enlighten me!!

Apart from 'self promotion' what has he achieved, accomplished or completed?

Anambra State Governor, Mr Willie Obiano, on Tuesday said the recent in- road and victories recorded by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) during the general elections has positioned it as the next opposition party in Nigeria.

Mr Obiano made the statement when House of Representatives members-elect from the state and Taraba State paid him a courtesy call at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia.

Introducing the winning members to the governor, the National Chairman of APGA, Victor Umeh, also announced the victory of APGA House of Assembly candidates in Taraba and Bayelsa states.

The National Chairman of APGA introduced the members-elect to the governor, beginning with the candidate from Taraba State, Mr. Isaac Usman Danjuma, who won Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency.

Also receiving congratulations from the Governor were Gabriel Onyenwife and Peter Mmadubueze, members elect from Oyi/Ayamelum and Anambra East and West Federal Constituencies respectively.

While the National Chairman assured the governor of victory in the upcoming Abia State supplementary election next Saturday, the governor declared APGA as the next opposition political party in Nigeria.

The members elect, however, made reassuring speeches of ensuring good representation to the people when sittings begin.

Johnolis:
Nna,i dont understand your obsession with Peter Obi.it has gone past a year since he left as ex governor of anambra.Every anambrarian knows that Obi is the best thing that ever happened to the political scope of anambra state.He was the one who brought Obiano.many people voted for obiano who was unknown prior to his emergence as governor out of the love for Peter Obi.if not for the good works Obi did in transforming Anambra state,people also love him for his humility and gentle mien. I suggest you let Obi be,for your own good.thank you.

DaGC:
This is good from him.

I like humanitarian peeps, who are not obligated to do certain things yet they do it anyway.

"On the N75bn – Since their recent political misadventure in Abuja, former Governor Obi and his handlers have returned to seek for a new foothold in Anambra State with a basket of lies and half-truths. The most embarrassing of their recent gambit is the adoption of the N75bn he purportedly handed over to Obiano as their new swansong. Obi himself has been moving around radio stations to remind Ndi
Anambra that he left N75bn in his handover note.
A corollary to this seeming anxiety to perpetuate his legacy is the fact that at no time has Governor Obiano or his spokesmen challenged this hefty claim. Quite naturally, that bridge shall be crossed one day, but this is neither the time nor the place. The question then is, why does Obi feel extremely anxious to drum up this particular legacy? Is Anambra State not better today than he left it? Are workers’ salaries not being paid regularly even with the increment? And perhaps more importantly, has anyone complained to them that the state has become insolvent? Or is there something hidden under the carpet that they hope to conceal by regularly waving this particular legacy in our faces? Whatever the case may be, it remains the prerogative of the Governor of Anambra State to clear the air on
what he inherited from his predecessor. It is also his choice to decide if it is necessary to break his silence and when it is appropriate to break that silence on it. Until then, Joe Martins Uzodike and his friends can carry on with their dance in the market square!:


James Eze, SSA, Media to Gov. Willie Obiano

sCun:
You are a very sad and miserable being.
I feel for you

ubyways:
well crafted ,i adore ur writeup. but truth be told, until igbos proof otherwise to ss brothers. As far as am concern(ibibio),igbos are the most greedy, selfish, and self centered tribe in the country.If this perception is not change, my brother ur leaving in delusion n illusion. our people are not comfortable playing the second fiddle despite of our enormous freely God given wealth in this delusion entity called Nigeria but aligning with the igbos is like a case of jumping into fire from fry pan, there is a proverb in my dalet that says "give igbo man an inch he will take a mile" .to draw a conclusion, the ss people are not comfortable with dominat attitude of the igbos. we will rather prefer our own sovereignty.

jibrilaminu003:
Useless and baseless. If to say gej win the election notn lyk dz for emerge. In fact after Buhari tenure make this ppl clear out from 9ja cos they r of no use. We all know say na because of oil nothing more.

PenSniper:
And yet they remain as they are - backward and rural ?