₦airaland Forum

“I reduced my convoy to five vehicles and I used the N150 million for two bullet proof cars to buy almost 50 Peugeot cars at N3 million each, gave 17 to Judges and 18 to permanent secretaries” – Peter Obi

There are manifold reasons why Peter Obi is the issue each time there is a conversation in politics and governance in Nigeria. In sports, for instance, there are reasons why certain names continue to resonate years after their retirement. In boxing, for instance, Mohammed Ali remains dominant, in football, Brazil’s Pele cannot but be the subject after holding on to his credit yet unbroken record of the highest goal scorer of over 1,000 goals in global soccer.



Just last week Argentina striker Sergio Aguero playing for Manchester City Club in England scored his 251st goals in English Premier league but was yet to get to Manchester United Wayne Rooney’s 260 mark or the Alan Shearers 283 number.

Many years after Pele and Shearer left active footballing they continue to be dominant in football conversations because of what they were and what they left behind. Coming closer home Rasheed Yekini even after joining his ancestors in great beyond continues to be a reference point in goal scoring in Nigeria.

It is for these reasons in a similar parlance in politics and governance that former Governor of Anambra State Peter Obi continues to be the reference point in governance in this dispensation that the country embraced global democracy as a form of rule in our country’s polity.

Obi who calls himself a trader entered Nigerian politics in a much unforeseen way, coming with a brand of politics alien to the environment. No one took him serious when he ventured into the scene. In fact he only had his stubborn faith and commitment with him and didn’t need more.

The rest is now history that he became the first Nigerian to regain a stolen mandate through the law court. That was when Supreme Court could deliver justice and their numbers were adding up. Not now when Supreme Court displaces educational certificate with court affidavit or when number four position jumps to number one with figures not adding up. Then Supreme Court decision was sacrosanct because it could not be faulted, but today our hearts bleed for what has become of our dear apex court since the unusual entry to the seat of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Mohammed.

After a scrutiny of the man Peter Obi one would want to say he does not belong to this climate called Nigeria. Everything he does stands out strange. For instance, the most title crazy state in Igboland is Anambra but that was where Obi operated as the political leader for eight years maintaining the title of Mister. In his state, children take title during their naming ceremony. Not just title but high flying and sounding ones. In Anambra State, it is not inexplicable for a poor farmer or persons in that class to give their new born the Ide ji uno (the engine, the backbone) of his town believing that one day the child will be a great Ide like the former Vice President Alex Ekwueme who popularized the title.



Many years after Pele and Shearer left active footballing they continue to be dominant in football conversations because of what they were and what they left behind. Coming closer home Rasheed Yekini even after joining his ancestors in great beyond continues to be a reference point in goal scoring in Nigeria.


That was the environment Obi came walking in opposite direction of flamboyance and showiness to achieve what has made him a recurring topic in governance nearly a decade after leaving office. He came courageously believing in his inner self and in Clara Barton’s assertion that “Economy, prudence, and a simple life are the sure masters of need, and will often accomplish that which, their opposites, with a fortune at hand, will fail to do”

On Monday January 20, 2020, THISDAY Newspaper, easily the most popular political news media in the country in the last decade gave out awards to mark its silver jubilee celebration, 25 years of robust journalism to which yours sincerely was one of the over 1,000 persons who helped to make the news medium distinct.

Peter Obi picked the award of Governor of the Decade. Meaning that in the 10-year span from 2010 to 2020 no governor in the 36 states could match his record. Champion Newspaper had earlier also bestowed him with such honour. Who can fault that, certainly nobody, not yet? Why him you may ask, the answer is simple because nobody has brought the discipline and prudence he had into governance, a thing that is greatly missing in our polity. Virtually every government watchers in this country since the return to democracy in 1999 are unanimous in their agreement that management of resources by political leaders has been far below the standard for the much needed prudence in the system.

The rest of the country actually did not appreciate the stuff of Obi’s eight years governance until he appeared in a public forum called Platform on October 1st, 2016 and shared his experience in governance

The huge applause and subsequent reaction to Obi’s presentation that dominated the media space thereafter told the rest of the story that Nigerians are indeed happy with him and what he did in Anambra State.

They are happy because Obi handled governance in his state in the eight years of his administration with the required decorum and sedateness which culminated in the unique hand over note he presented to his successor Willie Obiano on March 17, 2014. The handover note gave him out as somebody extraordinary in his leadership style. Since 1999 when this country returned to democratic rule, never has any state government left office with no kobo owed anybody or group locally and internationally.

Former Governor Obi did not only hand over a clean note in this regard to his successor but ensured that there were no salary arrears whether of workers or pensioners but instead left an asset base in investment to the tune of about N75 billion. This is in spite of the huge infrastructural development spread out in the state plus the record performance in education, health and human capital development.

In Obi’s own words to his successor, “the state of Anambra is strong, financially, economically and indeed psychologically. You will be taking over the reins of state where there is sanity, political civility and overall decorum.”

If he sounded arrogant there he should after leaving no salary arrears whether workers or pensioners. Rather he left a local investment of over N27 billion, foreign currency investment of about $56 million, certified state/MDAs of over N28 billion.

Reading and hearing what the current Nigerian state governors including Obi’s successor left or will leave in office, huge debts, and months of arrears of salaries and pensioners, not to talk of sums owed to contractors and you juxtapose it with what Obi handed over on March 17, 2014, you cannot but wonder if Obi has different DNA

This development should worry us as a country because the future is bleak for a nation whose young political managers squander public fund the way our leaders do in a lifestyle that does not reflect the underdevelopment in their areas

Truth is that former Governor Obi did not get to this destination by accident; there was no extra largesse that accrued to Anambra State that others did not get, the state is not even an oil producing state.

What happened was just a product of fiscal discipline backed by financial modesty and realistic style. He approached governance as a business and as a foundation and made accountability paramount in all his dealings.

But that is not to say that Obi is loved by all not at all. Those used to status quo, free distribution of munificence never liked him and his style. When you then hear that Obi is not a good politician it has to do with his attempt to introduce prudence and accountability into political party and campaigns.

In the last general election however Obi proved that the ordinary people of his state love him die. They voted for him massively and with that he embossed his electoral authority in Igbo land.

If his enemies and anti-graft agencies have combed everywhere and not finding anything incriminating against Obi, it’s because of these stories above. Congratulations Okwute Ndigbo

So Fashola na deputy governor abi.

Remimadrid1:
So Fashola na deputy governor abi.

Obi and Fashola are not on the same pedestal. Go and find out, this one no be sentiments matter

Remimadrid1:
So Fashola na deputy governor abi.

Fashola was Tinubu’s stooge.

I concut

Remimadrid1:
So Fashola na deputy governor abi.

yes na e deputy

Obi, though wasn't my Governor but has always given me a reason to shade a tear for him outta respect which I have for him...
He's rule was, has been N will always be flawless! As a Economist he did well as a Governor I don't care if people like they call him "STINGY" but we all humans that can never Ben satisfied with anything at all

Remimadrid1:
So Fashola na deputy governor abi.

Oya carry your placard and hit the street. Fashola must be named the governor of the decade.
Madness

celeiyke:
Obi and Fashola are not on the same pedestal. Go and find out, this one no be sentiments matter

You sabi

I hated obi initially but after reading and seeing what he did in Anambra state(formal refuse bin of Nigeria)... he deserve my respect, he changed the affairs of the state making it the commercial Education industrialized state in nigeria