‘Obiano’s One Year Impressively Wonderful’ –  Ezeonwuka 

Precisely on the 17th of March 2015, the administration of Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State will clock one year old. In this interview with some journalists, notable Igbo Leader and a Chieftain of All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka the Ogrisi of Igbo land sheds his views on the performance of the one year old Governor. Ezeonwuka who is a member of the APGA Board of Trustees BOT also spoke on the forthcoming general elections and other things.

Let’s start with your assessment of Governor Willie Obiano’s one year administration in Anambra state. How would you rate his performance sofar?

Thank you very much. I cannot hesitate to give Obiano a huge pass mark following his one year in office because he has done wonderfully well in most critical areas of governance visa vis security, education, agriculture, road and sports.  In fact the Governor’s performance in the last twelve months exceeded our expectations. It is like a dream but they are reality and in place for everybody to see. Take for instance, Nobody believed that Anambra could be safely get rid off kidnappers and Armed Robbers but it is a reality tidy that Kidnappers and Armed Robbers which terrorized residents and visitors in the state have been flushed out completely.

Before now  cases of Kidnapping and robbery were reported on daily basis in the commercial cities of Onitsha and Nnewi in particular and people there were relocating to Asaba, Abuja and other places including neighboring countries like Ghana and Benin Republic Some went to Europe or China in search of cover and safely of their families and businesses . Those already living outside refused to come home and potential investors ran away. But all these are now stories of the past because people have adequate security cover. People now sleep with their two eyes closed and those who ran away are coming back. Anambra as far as I’m concerned is now safe for investors. That is why Coscharis came down to invest on rice production. This is what the people expect from government: make the environment conducive for investors to come and invest.

Let me forget to observe that the Governor has equally done much more impact on agriculture and sports than his predecessors. Take for instance successive government neglected Rojenny stadium completely. Governor Peter Obi brought in some money but the amount was no where near the works required to put the stadium in good shape. Obiano came in and take over the renovation of the stadium completely and even initiated the project of building basket ball and volley ball pitch which currently on going on high speed note.

On Education and Health he has consolidated on inherent quality service delivery through the Churches from immediate past administration and ensured that the sectors are accorded proper attention they deserve. On road and infrastructure he is doing badly. Construction companies are everywhere around the state working on roads. Very soon Awka will wear a face lift like Apapa in Lagos or Maitama in Abuja with the kinds of massive  fly over by pass that is currently on going along the Enugu – Onitsha Expressway. The Governor maintained the good relationship between Ndi Anambra and the Federal Government and we have continued to enjoy federal presence in the state.

Further more, the Governor against all odds took the bull by the horns to carry out the burial of Biafra fallen heroes. The burial was a great event in the history of the Igbo because long ago we discovered that the spirit of the fallen heroes were disturbing us. In our tradition as Ndigbo, it is a mandatory obligation to accord the death ones a benefiting burial but over forty years after the war we were yet to fulfill that mandatory obligation on the fallen and their spirit were revolting against us. For many years we made a case for it but other governors declines to give attention to it,  but Obiano courtesy of his pro people interest considered it right enough to do it. The story of his achievement is not complete without the mention of the burial of the fallen heroes. And I can tell that we have started to reap the interest of the burial.

So going by what he has done in the past twelve months Obiano is a wonderful Governor and nobody can take that away from him.

From all the indications, we are going to do well not only in Anambra but in other places across the country. In one of my interviews, I made bold enough to say that APGA is fielding better candidates ahead of other parties. In Anambra for instance we have quality candidates for National and state Assembly seats who are better than what other parties are parading. Take for instance in Anambra central senatorial district APGA is fielding Sir Victor Umeh who we all know his credibility. Umeh as the National Chairman of APGA has proved to be an indefatigable leader of the present generation in Igbo land in particular and his capabilities to do well in the senate is not doubt. That APGA is alive today is consequent upon the leadership skills of Umeh. People believed that APGA will die after the exit of Eze Igbo Gburugburu late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu but here we are with APGA bubbling and growing from strength to strength. And nobody can take the success away from the National Chairman. I believe that the good people of Anambra central will see reasons to give him the mandate to go and represent them bearing in mind that he will make Ndigbo proud in the senate during the forthcoming elections.

In Anambra North senatorial district APGA is fielding Dubem Obaze, a well articulate and unassuming gentleman who is very popular in the state. He served as a commission for years and commands a house hold name in the state. In the South we have former Vice Chairman of National Communication Commission NCC, Dr Ernest Ndukwe as the Candidate of APGA. Now tell me the party that has a better candidate who is refined with such a high profile sound pedigree like Ndukwe in Anambra South?

In the race for federal House of Representatives we have the likes of Chukwuemeka Ojukwu junior running for Nnewi federal constituency. Junior is a sure bet because the people of the constituency will massively vote for him. We have Dozie Nwankwo, a young successful entrepreneur and philanthropist going for Njikoka Federal constituency, For Awka federal constituency we have on board Godson Ezenagu who is also a renowned philanthropist and popular enough to win election. In Onitsha federal constituency, we have a former state lawmaker Hon Lady Anthonia Tabansi in the race for federal house among others who are equal to the task in the race for National Assembly. In the state assembly I’m sure that APGA will record 100% victory in Anambra. There is no fear about that.

Away from Anambra, APGA will make waves in Imo state with Captain Iheanacho and  Abia with Alex Otti and other candidates. We all know that Iheanacho has all it takes to Imo back for APGA and Otti is the candidate to beat for the governorship seat of Abia. In Ebonyi senator Anthony Agbo has a good chance to win because of the crises in the PDP. In Nasarawa, Labaran Maku is doing well and the fear of him is the begging of wisdom in that state. In Oyo and Zamara states APGA is very strong and it won’t be a surprise story if the party wins elections in those states.

That is a bad news really but the truth of the matter is that there is poor practice of democracy in Enugu state. I remember very well that in 2003, Ugo Agballa as candidate of APGA won the governorship election in Enugu but the PDP under Chimaroke Nnamani rigged that election. PDP under Chimaoke and the Incumbent governor Sullivan Chime have continued to rig elections in Enugu and that is why APGA is reluctant to field candidates during local government election in the state. There is no doubt that, consistent rigging of election weakened APGA in Enugu to the point that the Party could not put things in other to field a governorship candidate. It is bad news like I said earlier.  However, I learnt that we have people in the race for senate and house of reps under the platform of APGA in Enugu. We have the secretary of the Coference of Nigeria Political Parties CNPP, Chief Willie Ezegwu and former Chairman Association of Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria ALGON Chief Nwabueze Okafor, as the candidates for senate in Enugu. We also so have  the likes of Prince of Emeka Mamah of Ifesinachi business empire, incumbent member of the Federal house of reps Hon Offor Chukwuegbo and former Chairman of Isi Uzor Local Government Area, Hon Osita Felix Ogene in the race for federal house in Enugu and others in Nkanu, Awgu, and Ojiriver axis.

With all these credible and tested people in the race for elective positions under APGA in Enugu, I believe we have started the process of building the party in the Coal city state. It is my earnest wish that these people who have chosen to run under the party that carries the blessings and golden legacies  of the late Eze Igbo Gburugburu will win election in Enugu so that in subsequent  elections APGA will not just field a governorship candidate but will win the governorship seat of the state. Let me use this opportunity to warn that attempt to rig election against APGA in any part of the country will incur the wrath of Ogirisi and the spirit of our ancestors.

The Igbo man is behind Jonathan” s reelection. There is no controversy or argument about that. From Anambra to Enugu, Ebonyi to Abia and even Imo which is under an APC Governor in the person of Oweele Rochas Okorocha, Ndigbo will all vote for Jonathan. Buhari the Presidential candidate of APC has no vision for Ndigbo. When Buhari came to Anambra, I listened carefully to his speech and to my surprise, he didn’t say anything about the second Niger bridge and how he could bring federal presence in the southeast. He didn’t talk about any issue of Igbo interest all through his campaign in the five states of the southeast so tell me why we should vote for him?

 Thank you very much. First of all let me note that the idea to shift the election from February to March and April by the Service Chiefs was a master stroke. The postponement of the elections saved the entire country from what could have been a huge mess. The INEC Chairman Professor Atahiru Jega was far from reality when he said that INEC was ready to conduct the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 28, 2015, From what we have seen following the postponement of the elections, it is very clear that, it was absolutely impossible to conduct the elections in February. A lot of people didn’t have PVC as at that time. Card reader machine was not tested as at that time and the whole exercise could have been a kangaroo elections to the shame of this country. Those who are calling for Jega’s exit are not speaking out of point. I commend the idea of shifting the election and if there is need to further shift the elections. I will support it.

Coming to your question, really there is tension in the land and some of our people in the North have even disappeared from their base for fear of violence out break. You cannot blame them because safety is very important.  However, Presidency and the Security chiefs are aware of the situation, I think they are equal to task of protecting the country against possible out break of election violence. The Police. Military and other security agents have to do their work and ensure adequate security. Nigerians are interested in this elections and all hands must be on deck. This is one. Two, election is not a not a do or die affair and thus the gladiators and their supporters will have to understand it so. President Jonathan was perfect enough to declare that no ambition is worth human life and we should take note of that. The election is a human affair and any affair that is well managed is sure of yielding profitable results. So as Ogirisi with a spiritual eyes, I advice for wide consultations on how to mange those places that are violence prone ahead of the elections and by so doing we shall overcome the challenges posed by the elections.