Information available to 247ureports.com through sources in Awka and in Abuja indicate that the honeymoon between the Governor elect of Anambra State, Mr. Willie Obiano and Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi may be over. According to a source close to the outgoing Governor, the relationship between the two men soiled during the later stages of the gubernatorial campaign leading up to the November 16, 2013 in Anambra State.
Specifically, the source points to a minor fracas which developed during the campaign thump in Anambra as the main reason for the drift between the two men. The source stated that Mr. Willie Obiano was not happy with the handling of the gubernatorial campaign by the team put together by Governor Peter Obi – in that he was not given the opportunity to participate in the decision making during the same campaign.
The source cited an incident that occurred near the Governor’s Lounge in Amawbia, Anambra State – at a hotel by name Trigpoint located next to the Governor’s Lounge – where the then candidate Willie Obiano convened a meeting with some of the leaders of youth organizations in Anambra State. While seated at the meeting, the then candidate who was about to begin the meeting after the exchange of pleasantries – was interrupted by the bold entrance of three well-dressed young men. The three young men entered the closed door meeting and took seats – as if they were part of the meeting. After candidate Willie Obiano waited for the three young men to introduce themselves, he realized the young men were not readily going to introduce themselves – he asked them to please introduce themselves – and why they appear to insist on being a part of the meeting.
The three young men rose and responded that they were sent by Nwaobualor – the uncle to the outgoing Governor, Mr. Peter Obi to join the group – that they have been cleared by Nwaobualor. Candidate Willie Obiano reaction was impulsive and in anger. He angrily asked the three youngsters whether Nwaobualor was running his campaign or whether Nwaobualor was the candidate. With this, Obiano asked the three youngsters to leave the room. The three young men obeyed and left.
Minutes after the youths departed the meeting venue, candidate Willie Obiano received a telephone call. As he answered the call, it began apparent from his reaction to the call that the call had to do with the three young men. The telephone quickly turned into a cautious shouting match. Willie Obiano rose with the telephone – excused himself into another room – where he spent about 20minutes on the telephone before coming out to continue with the meeting. As he returned to the meeting, his mood was dimmed. The meeting was then postponed unceremoniously.
247ureports.com understands that Willie Obiano made a conscious decision to maintain a cordial relationship with the Peter Obi campaign team. Our source revealed that candidate Obiano was particularly not happy with Victor Umeh’s overbearing presence throughout the campaign trail. Obiano was not pleased with the management and allocation of resources. “Disbursement of campaign funds were managed by Peter Obi associates, Obiano did not have a say in how the monies were disbursed”, said the source.
With the continued disbursement of funds to organizations around the State by the outgoing Governor in tandem with the recent conduct of the local government area [LGA] election, the Governor-elect is reported relapse into his tucked away anger against Peter Obi’s excesses. Our source indicated that Obiano was not pleased by the combined action of Peter Obi of expending the resources of the State and the conduct of LGA election at the eve of his exit.
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Below is a graphical presentation of the monies received by the State of Anambra from the federal government through the federally allocated funds during the period covering 2006 to 2013 when Governor Peter Obi held sway to the affairs of the State.
It shows that the LGA funds summed to N255billion – when added to the funds received by the State for the State, it sums to N624billion. Through the period covering 2006 to 2013, the state received N30billion from NEMA, N57.6billion from ecological funds, N200billion from matching funds [international matching funding], N240billion from IGR, N12billion from carryover from Ngige administration, and N5billion from road construction refunds from federal government. The total sum received by the Governor summed N1.17trillion.
Of the monies received, N60.48billion was expended on the State’s wage bill from 2006 to 2013. In the same period, the Peter Obi administration expended N103billion on road construction. He claimed to have constructed over 905.5kilometers of roads at an average cost of N114.4million per kilometre.
Anambra State between the said period – after expending the wage bill and road construction – is left with N1trillion. Governor Peter Obi had N1trilion after the wage bill and road construction.
