When Leadership Calls For The Best And Brightest

By Chiedu Uche Okoye

Thankfully, Anambra State is on the march to greatness, again, after being held down in the past by unscrupulous political elements in the state. Then, they placed their selfish and parochial interests above the collective good. When the fourth republic dawned here, the generality of Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief and expected that things would change for the better. It did not change for the better, immediately, however. 

*Peter Obi 

In Anambra State, instead of enjoying the fruits and gains of representative government, the people suffered under suffocating and ineffective political leadership occasioned, partly, by the political godfatherism that characterised the politics of the state, then. Is Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju and Sir Emeka Offor’s fight for the financial purse and soul of the state not fresh in our memories? And Dr. Chris Ngige took on his political benefactor, Chris Uba, over the control of the state. Those needless political fights hobbled the state and stalled its development.

The Meaning Of Governor Obiano’s Reelection

By Chuks Iloegbunam

Anyone asked the impact of Governor Willie Obiano’s victory in the November 18 gubernatorial ballot in Anambra State could answer with a single word: Crushing. He won in all of the 21 local government areas of the state. His closest rivals came up in dismal second, third and fourth places. The combined total of the votes garnered by the rest of the 33 candidates managed to hit the hundreds. 

*Gov Willie Obiano

Significantly, ex-Governor Peter Obi, the godfather of PDP candidate Oseloka Obaze lost in his Anaocha local government area. Mr. Obaze himself lost in his Ogbaru local government area. His running mate, Mrs. Alexandria Chidi Onyemelukwe, famed daughter of Dr. Alex Ekwueme, lost in her Nnewi North local government area. The string of tragic losses is bewildering. APC candidate Tony Nwoye lost in his Anambra East local government area. His bankroller, the tycoon Arthur Eze, lost in his Dunukofia local government area. The loquacious PDP campaign director-general Joe-Martins Uzodike lost in the polling booth in front of his Awka-Etiti house. Indeed, APGA is a party of giant killers. All their opponents were buried in a landslide!

The People’s Will Must Prevail In Anambra On November 18

By Ikechukwu Amaechi

On Saturday, November 18, 2017, the good people of Anambra will elect the person who will govern the state for the next four years.

All eyes will be on the state not only because this is a standalone election but also because of the antecedents of the political gladiators. General elections are more than a year away from now. The reason why this governorship election is holding on Saturday rather than the first quarter of 2019 is ensconced in the womb of Anambra politics.

*Peter Obi and Willie Obiano

For those who may have forgotten, in 2003, the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and political godfathers with former President Olusegun Obasanjo as their patron saint orchestrated an unprecedented electoral heist that denied Peter Obi, who ran on the platform of the Chekwas Okorie-led All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), victory. Dr. Chris Ngige, the PDP candidate, was handed the political diadem.

It was a brazen affront on the inalienable right of the people to elect their leaders.

Willie Obiano Shines In Governorship Debate

 By Chuks Iloegbunam

 Governor Willie Obiano displayed a sense of purpose all through the debate. He was first asked the nature of the quarrel between him and ex-Governor Peter Obi. He brushed it aside, saying that Mr. Obi was not a candidate in the governorship ballot. His preference was to state his work and his plans for Ndi Anambra. In the course of the debate, the Governor was asked if he could authenticate the story that Mr. Obi had demanded a refund of the N7.5 billion he claimed to have invested in his election. Yes, indeed, the demand had been made but Obiano declined to pay any such money because Anambra was not indebted to anybody on campaign funding. These underscore his clarity of thought on the night.

*Gov Willie Obiano 

The issue of probity was raised. Mr. Oseloka Obaze accused Governor Obiano of selling off dollars “they” had saved for “future generations.” This was the Governor’s masterful response: “First, that’s Anambra’s money. In banking, we call it ‘liquidity management’. You don’t leave an idle fund when you desire to put funds into activities. This guy (Peter Obi) left a debt of N127 billion. Contractors have to be paid. While you are balancing your act, you won’t have money sitting in the bank and you are looking for money to pay contractors. That’s a legitimate transaction. It is not a personal fund. So, in liquidating only $10 million (out of over $100 million) in four years to be able to pay contractors in a recession is good. That’s money management.”

Governor Willie Obiano’s Staying Power

 By Chuks Iloegbunam

 The electioneering campaigns in Anambra State are grounding to a halt, making way for the governorship ballot of November 18, 2017. It is necessary to review the road since travelled, and project on expected outcomes. For those with an ear to the ground, the campaigns unofficially started when, a year after he got into office, Governor Obiano made it clear that he was not interested in being anyone’s stooge.

*Gov Obiano

Now everything is coming to a dazzling conclusion. The campaign convoys are backing out of streets and squares and veering into parking lots. Loudhailers are coming unstuck from sundry lips, stopping the torrents of flowery promises. Those that have screamed their vocal cords sore can now race to “chemist” shops for lozenges. Branded T-shirts and ankara wrappers will thenceforth constitute little other than fashion statements and bed sheets.

The PDP Rallies For APGA

 By Chuks Iloegbunam

Without Chief Victor Umeh, Governor Peter Obi would not have had a second term of office. This declaration is an easy start to explaining the title of this article. It happened this way. Well before his first tenure ended, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, fed up to the hairline, ruled Mr. Obi out of a second term. One morning, General Ojukwu arrived APGA offices in Awka, to the cheers of party faithful and expectant journalists. There, he lifted the hand of Mr. Emeka Etiaba, now a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and pronounced him the man to fly APGA’s flag in the 2010 governorship election. 

*Gov Obiano

Government House, Awka, immediately went into turmoil, with Governor Obi looking like someone poleaxed. Long hours later, he ditched lamentation for counteraction. This came in his flying to Victor Umeh’s patronage. They met later that week at the grounds between Government Lodge, Enugu and the Enugu State House of Assembly, Governor Obi having chased security aides, drivers and other convoy regulars to no less than 50 metres away. Left severely alone, Governor fell to his knees, contrite, subdued and solicitous, pleading with Umeh for a second chance. After some contemplation, Umeh, reluctantly decided to give Obi a kind ear.