By Chuks Iloegbunam
Take this
to the bank: in the run-up to next year’s gubernatorial election in Anambra State, Governor Willie Obiano is
countless strides ahead of the most determined of his opponents. Many reasons
account for this. Foremost is that he firmly has the advantage of incumbency on
his side. But this needs spelling out. The incumbency factor at play here is
not merely the occupation of the seat of power; it is that the Anambra State
Governor has more than delivered. He has surpassed the records of his
predecessors.
|
*Gov Willie Obiano |
Since empiricism is in
accent, readers are called to take notice of the following facts. Governor
Chris Ngige was in office for about three years when the courts gave him the
matching orders. Governor Peter Obi was through with the third year of his
first term when he published a magazine entitled Three Years of Solid
Accomplishments. Whoever reads the publication and also reviews Dr. Ngige’s
achievements, will come to an inevitable conclusion – if they compared them to
the astounding performance of Governor Willie Obiano.
Such a reviewer would
acknowledge that, in terms of achievements, Governor Obiano stands head and
shoulders above his predecessors. But, there is need for clarity here. Many politicians
and soldiers have governed Anambra
State since its creation
25 years ago. Some lasted a few months and got redeployed, or sacked by
military putsch. But political stability of sorts became apparent from the
inception of the Fourth
Republic. Dr. Chinwoke
Mbadinuju served a single, four-year term. Dr. Ngige’s tenure lasted three
years.
Peter Obi
spent eight years, minus the three months that the distinguished Dame Virgy
Etiaba ably governed, following Mr. Obi’s unjust and ultimately reversed
impeachment by legislative hirelings intoxicated by intrigue. Obiano is close
to completing his third year. The trio of Ngige, Obi and Obiano has imbued
Anambra with a legacy of performance to be proud of. It was Ngige who first
demonstrated to Ndi Anambra that human beings drove on tarred roads instead of
through ponds and potholes. Peter Obi continued the road construction legacy,
topping it with the Odo Bridge in Awgbu, which, in 2010, was the longest
bridge in Anambra
State.