The ongoing reforms under the newly appointed Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Martins Kure Abeshi, may terribly consume the service Public Relations Officer, Chukwuemeka Obua, who has been accused of disloyalty to the new leadership of the corps.
Obua and some other Assistant Controller Generals were said to have vowed not to recognise the Abeshi’s leadership due to their loyalty to the former CGI David Paraddang who was sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari recently.
The service spokesman were said to have demonstrated his threat during the official swearing in of Mr. Abeshi this week Tuesday, at the Ministry of Interior when he refused to attend the ceremony.
Our reporter gathered reliably that all the senior officers at the event were shock not to see their spokesman, confirming his threat.
It was also gathered that the new CG has ordered the former PRO, Ekpeme Kings to return back to the headquarters in preparation to replace Mr. Obua.
Already, the new CGI has announced a series of operational reforms which might cause a serious shake up across the departments and formations through the country.
Abeshi who made the announcement dring an inaugural meeting with all heads of Commands and formations at the Service Headquarters Abuja yesterday, revealed that the reforms will affect the internal control/monitoring, border security and patrol as well as robust engagement with critical stakeholders of the Service with the purpose of evolving a “Citizen Inclusive Immigration Service”.
According to him, the reform in border security would require a revitalization and reinvigoration of the moribund Air Border Patrol Unit to its former enviable status as the premier Aerial Border Patrol Unit in Nigeria.
He disclosed that cases of sharp practices such as extortion, touting and general staff indiscipline would be frontally checked just as enormous attention would be paid to the welfare of officers and men. He promised to continue with the staff Multipurpose Co-operative Scheme of the Service which would dovetail into the incorporation of NIS Micro Finance Bank.
The new CG also assured that the NIS under his leadership would intensify efforts at addressing the disturbing rate of human trafficking in the country even as he directed all heads of formations to put machinery on ground in their various formations to stop the ignoble practice.
By Amos Igbebe
Executive Director of a Civil Society Group, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, has said that the 2007 to 2014 budgets of Emmanuel Uduaghan, the erstwhile Governor of Delta State, had favoured the ruling class at the expense of the masses, considering the skewed manner in which the budget was prepared in favour of government officials.
Dr. Otive said his conclusions were based on the analysis made from the eight years budget prepared by Uduaghan’s administration which was skewed with preference given to government spending on projects which are not targeted at meeting necessities of people but driven by the need to meet the interest of the ruling cabal in the state.
Dr. Otive, who gathered executive directors of Civil Society Groups in his Asaba office where he x-rayed the performance of the state yearly budgets in the period under review, drew the ire of the participants where it was revealed that the state failed woefully in meeting people’s needs but worked assiduously to satisfy personal needs and self-aggrandizement.
Represented by the Niger Delta Regional Coordinator of the Centre, Mr. Chuks Erhire, Otive revealed the quantum of funds appropriated for various projects but could not be seen to actualize the projects for which the funds were appropriated in the years under review.
He said “Delta ranks as one of the highest earners from the federation account. It is equally endowed with numerous sources of internally generated revenue, a robust population and benefits from funding and project support from donors and intervention agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), UNDP, World Bank but unfortunately, all of these have not been able to resolve its development challenges”.
Otive said the policy thrust of every budget is aimed at accelerating economic recovery through targeted fiscal interventions intended to further stimulate the state economy and support private sector growth, but Otive with participants at the event concluded that rather than actualizing these lofty ideals, most of the budgets were only seen in the papers but never translated to building the lives of the people of Delta State.
Participants from the Non-Governmental Organisations were particularly irked following the analysis of the budget, which Otive revealed was sourced from the State ministry of Economic Planning and carefully analysed by economic experts from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.
Okezi Odugala, Executive Director of Eziodu Initiative For Sustainable Environmental Development, undermining the quantum of funds budgeted for projects on yearly basis, the state has not witnessed any meaningful development in infrastructure and other social amenities.
“In Delta State, nothing is visible, if you have done roads, where are the roads, not roads in paper but roads that people can see. We are not children. We have not seen what government has for us in paper. For government to budget money for government house and taking care of political office holders when people have not got food to eat is an aberration”, Odugala said.
By Amos Igbebe
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) based in Asaba, Delta State, Thursday, disagreed over the pattern employed by the state government in the preparation of the state yearly budgets.
Executive Director of African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, (Centre LSD) Dr. Otive Igbuzor, had argued that officials of the state government empowered to prepare the state yearly budget had always kept the preparation secret, disallowing members of the public and CSOs from making input.
While some argued in favour of Igbuzor saying the budget is kept secret pending its presentation for defense by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), others held that every aspect of the state budget from preparation to defense is made open for input by the people of the state.
The sharp disagreement which almost turned the essence of the state budget analysis from 2007 to 2014, an event organized by Centre LSD into a war of words by the different interests of the directors was quelled by the intervention of the Niger Delta Regional Director of Centre LSD, Mr. Chuks Erhire.
Mrs. Bridget Anyafulu, Executive Director of International Centre for Women Empowerment and Child Development (ICWECD), argued that government had never hidden any part of the state budget from start to finish as presented by Otive Igbuzor, who was represented by his Regional Director, Erhire.
Mrs. Anyafulu said rather than blame government for certain failures in the state yearly budget, directors of various CSOs should look inward and examine their roles and interest in the day to day administration of the state.
She said “we are all in government. People in government are human beings like us. CSOs have not also done well. You cannot just come out and say something without proof. So many NGOs are in Delta but they do not know what they are doing. The way we look government and conclude that they are stealing money, that is how they are still looking at us.
“As we criticize government, so also they criticize us. It is not about NGOs and CSOs but our interest in the NGOs we are operating. It’s all about making money. If you are invited and no money to give you, you will not be motivated to go.
“The budget you are talking about is accessible. It’s everywhere for everyone to see. Most CSOs’ offices are in their brief cases. They have no project to show. Development issues are not in paperwork but visible for all to see”.
But Okezi Odugala, Executive Director of Eziodu Initiative for Sustainable Environmental Development, Akaeze Boney, of Foundation for Non Violent Social Change and Jude Ojiugo, of Foundation for Human Development Initiative, argued that budget preparation in Delta is always kept secret, not allowing the public’s view before its presentation for defense.
The trio maintained that the business of financial management can no longer be business as usual in the state, asserting that Delta is a shame to Nigeria in terms of financial discipline as it has not made much development in the midst of the huge financial allocation to the state.
Senior Iranian officials continued their rhetoric against Israel on Wednesday, with Revolutionary Guards Tehran commander Brig.-Gen. Mohsen Kazzemeini saying military preparedness would be increased until “it overthrows Israel and liberates Palestine.”
“And we will continue defending not just our own country, but also all the oppressed people of the world, especially those countries that are standing on the forefront of confrontation with the Zionists,” he said, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported.
The comments came during massive military drills in Tehran that included 250,000 Basij volunteer paramilitary force.
On Tuesday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for forces at the Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base to increase their readiness.
“You should permanently enhance your preparedness and options for confronting different threats,” said the Iranian leader at a visit to the air defense base, Fars reported.
“The vital defense sensitivities and concerns indicate this reality that you should identify the vulnerable points and all possible enemy methods and work out specific plans and ways to confront all of them,” he added.
The Islamic Republic also unveiled two new domestically built radar systems that supposedly are capable of detecting radar-evading targets.
Iran is increasing its defenses near its nuclear facilities because it fears an Israeli attack before the nuclear deal with Western powers is finalized, Israel’s Channel 10 reported Tuesday evening.
Pictures published in the Iranian media showed a military exercise that included placing anti-aircraft missiles near the Bushehr nuclear facility.
Earlier this week, according to the Tasnim News Agency, Iranian military experts upgraded the Talash air defense missile system, which can target high-altitude aircraft.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Arab and Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian met with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut on Wednesday.
Nasrallah congratulated the Iranian diplomat on the nuclear deal reached with world powers and expressed anger at “war crimes” committed by Israel against the Palestinians, state news agency IRNA reported.
The Hezbollah leader said the “resistance” would thwart any Israeli threats to Lebanon.
On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met in Tunisia with Rachid Ghannouchi, the head of that country’s Islamist Ennahda movement, and called on Muslims to form “a united front against the Zionist enemy,” Iran’s Al Alam website reported.
Every journey starts with a single step and every presidency begins with the first 100 days in office and every presidents’ 100 days in office is very vital in it’s government. Albeit success in the first 100 days, however, has never meant a guarantee of success later nor have early difficulties necessarily doomed a presidency to failure.
A president’s first 100 days in office lays a foundation of how it’s government would be run before the end of it’s tenure. Like the early returns on election night, the first 100 days is always a subject of great interest and speculation. But should also be viewed with skepticism, prudence and caution.
President Buhari’s first 100 days in office will in a few days time be a subject of review by majority Nigerians, who in the not too distant past, overwhelmingly said no to the former ruling party PDP that held Nigeria by the scrotum for 16 unbroken years.
President Buhari, who after he was inaugurated was confronted with an early difficulty as a result of extreme profligacy of previous permissive governments that left our nation on the throes of demise.
Mr. President, a man reputed for his disdain for corruption has set the ball rolling by running an open government which to a reasonable extent, is a clear departure from what was obtained in the past.
In every fora, he has been creating a result-oriented awareness targeted at instituting justice against all those who in their gluttonous accumulation of wealth left our nation in a near-comatose state.
Though many are increasingly of the opinion that president Buhari is very slow, It takes the discerning to understand that Mr. President is not a magician and will not change the misfortunes that has befallen us in 100 days in office. He has started on a slow but steady path with clear emphasis on curbing insecurity and corruption.
To show his committment in curbing excesses in government, President Buhari, along side his vice president, Prof. Osibanjo, began by fulfilling one of their main campaign promises, by slashing their annual income by half immediately they were inaugurated.
While I strongly disagree with those who are of the opinion that PMB is grappling with hang over of dictatorship, citing his delay in constituting it’s cabinet. PMB should understand that time waits for no one in his search for saints to make up his cabinet.
President Buhari’s last week’s appointments into his cabinet has worsend the already generated tension over his continued neglect of some sections of the country and his punitive disregard of the constitution in his appointments.
Mr. President’s media aides have been busy denying the news making the rounds in both conventional and internet media that PMB, through his appointments so far, is more of a sectional than a national president and would ensure all sections of the country would be considered in his government.
Nobody is disputing the fact that all sections of the country could be considered, but what consideration are we talking about when nobody from a particular region is among the top 10 sensitive positions at the national level?
If truly, those appointed were based on competence and credibility, does it mean that in his almost 100 days in office, he is yet to find anyone, including “technocrats” from the South-east region credible and qualified for appointments?
Howbeit, let us not rule out the fact he’s gradually restoring sanity in our political space and some of those challenges we thought are impossible a task are being tackled head on.
EFCC, our anti-corruption agency that was redundant, inactive and alleged to be embroiled in monumental corruption in the recent past has suddenly woken up from it’s slumber and is now knocking on the doors of known politicians and their cohorts who in the past missaproppriated public funds.
Our moribund refineries which past governments, either by default or design never thought it necessary to repair and ensure they worked at maximum capacity is becoming a reality.
Steady power supply which has been an impossible a task in our nation is having a face lift and so far electricity supply has greatly improved.
Unlike what was obtained in the last few months of the past administration, Mr president has never sought for loan to pay it’s work force and has been consistent in the payment of workers’ salaries since he was inaugurated.
It is gratifying to note also that in less than 100 days of president Buhari in office, even with the decline in the sale of crude oil in the global market, Nigeria has been able to save trillions of naira from the sale of crude oil alone.
Above all, PMB, as a repentant and elected democrat should be cognizance of the fact that, no immunity will shield him from public odium if he and his yet to be constituted cabinet fail to initiate other radical reforms and policies that would rescue this nation from it’s accumulated and hydra headed problems.
Former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, has described the late Col. Sam Inokoba (rtd) as a great community leader and an intelligent politician whose contributions to society will be missed by the whole Bayelsa and, indeed, Nigeria.
In a statement issued in Abuja by his Media Adviser, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, Sylva said Wednesday’s death of Inokoba had left a vacuum that would be impossible to fill.
Inokoba, a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Bayelsa State Chairman, defected to All Progressives Congress (APC) about a fortnight ago alongside more than 1000 PDP members.
Sylva, who is also the state’s APC leader, stated, “The news of the death of Col. Sam Inokoba (rtd) was a terrible shock to me, my family, and the entire All Progressives Congress family both in Bayelsa State and Nigeria, in general. We share the grief of his family and friends.
“Inokoba was not only close to me, personally, but as a new convert to the current change agenda in Bayelsa State, we shared dreams of a better state, thoughts about the challenges ahead, and regrets about the condition of things in our state. He leaves a vacuum that can never be filled. His intellect, political sagacity, insight, and passion for the state, the Ijaw nation, and Nigeria, generally, were wonderful qualities that we cherished.
“Inokoba was a true leader, a successful family man, and a great community leader, and a retired soldier. Our thoughts are with the bereaved family in this time of grief. Inokoba will be missed by all of us.”
The former governor, however, said that the people of Bayelsa State will take solace in the political and communal legacies left by Inokoba.
“We know that the memory of Inokoba will serve as an inspiration to all Bayelsans that knew him,” Sylva stated.
President Muhammadu Buhari has started the Nigeria nation on the fast track of political declivity – through the trails of national disunity and possible disharmony.
With his lopsided appointments Northern domination – Hausa/Fulani; Western – Yourba and South – South – Ijaw, Efik, Ibibio, marginalization and, South Eastern – Igbo, total exclusion, President Buhari true to type has in no unmistakable term told Nigerians what they are in for during the days of his administration, if he is not stopped and compelled to reverse some of these unwarranted unpopular appointments.
The plea of balancing with the yet unannounced ministerial positions is no more than an admission of a tyrant’s plea. The previous administrations even before the 1999 constitution which enshrined the Federal character clause in the nation’s supreme law, never drove this country deliberately to such a precipice of unmitigatable parochialism.
Buhari in his warped imagination must be living in utopia if he thinks that the North still weilds the absolute totalitarian power of the first republic. It should be a lesson to him that today the clannish despotism which characterized his appointments has been criticsed by the right and patriotic nigerianised, Northerners, while tribal bigots like Mohammed Junaid continue to encourage Buhari to destroy a nation entrusted to him by the people, while the likes of Tanko Yakassai, in his usual one leg in, one leg out, continue to blow hot and cold over a glaring case of unpatriotic leadership stance of a general who claims to have been injured during the civil war by Biafra (Igbo) troops for which he is now reaping vendetta on the entire South-East, even on a generation that was not born before or during the civil war period.
There must be an ethnic balancing of the key positions, if peace and harmony is to reign in this country. The North has the President, Senate President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives. The West has the Vice President. It is only wise and in compliance with the Federal Character enshrined in the nation’s supreme law, that the position of the SGF should go to a south easterner. That Buhari is contemplating any balancing with ministerial positions, cannot vitiate the need to correct this singular imbalance at this stage.
The plea of Presidential prerogative in appointments is misplaced and ill-conceived. And to plead real or imaginary and conjured up disagreement among the South East A.P.C leaders and the alleged ignoble role said to have been played by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, cannot be tenable in a serious matter like an appointment to such a key position as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. If and only if, Buhari was influenced by such a mean consideration, then in one sentence: he is a “Presidential misfit” – a knit wit incapable of sound decision of his own.
However, Nobody is above mistake, they say, and this places the onus on President Buhari to show himself as a man amenable to discipline, having been a military officer. He should take steps to correct the lopsidedness in the appointments so far made before announcing any other appointments. The legislature – the watch dogs of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should compel Mr. President to revisit these appointments or they seek a means of removing a president who cannot heed public opinion, who seeks to govern the nation single handedly without regard for the stipulations of the constitution which he swore to protect.
What Buhari has done so for is an impeachable shortcoming. This is saying that Nigeria is more than any single individual, but Buhari should be given an opportunity to correct himself – not in future appointments, but by a revisit to the ones already made and move people around to make way for balancing of the key positions. This will indicate proper application of his prerogative in this regard and set the nation on the path of peaceful development.
If Buhari refuses to do this latching of his “laws of the medes and Persians” which change not, then his advisers must not expect 21st century Nigerians from all parts of the country to be subservient to a despotic government. This certainly they will not do even depending on constitutionality for their reactions. Obstinacy begets obduracy.
The plea that Buhari wants the “best” men and women in this country to serve the nation is euphemistic. Good and honest men are not the exclusive preserve of the North West, Nigeria. And when Buhari makes the noise about his anti-corruption stance, one wonders from what region of this country, corruption emanated. Could he say that people from the North West are more transparent than those from each and all other zones. The truth is that his plea again is an eye-wash. He is not being honest to himself and to the nation.
A man who says he is not corrupt will not accept money gift from a corrupt person. Nigerians are aware that at least two state governors at the time of election campaigns which brought Buhari to power have been dubbed corrupt governors. That two among some yet to be discovered, have openly stated that they funded Buhari’s campaigns heavily. One is now facing a probe, the other has been disgraced by the Obama list. These men, according to them, alleged that they funded Buhari’s electioneering campaigns. If the general is as transparent and puritanic as he wants Nigerians to believe, he would have rejected the offers made to him by men of doubtful integrity with doubtful source of wealth, do these governors run industries, what other business do they have, other than governing their states? Buhari should henceforth drum his personal integrity and anti – corruption stance to the marines. Analogically, a man who benefits from the proceeds of theft, knowingly, is also a thief. Period. But we are talking of corruption here.
Former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Timi Alaibe has stated the former Chairman of the Bayelsa State Chapter the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Col. Sam Inokoba (Rtd) did not die in his house.
He also denied having any meeting with the deceased in his Lagos residence within the week.
In a statement personally signed by him in Abuja yesterday, Alaibe who is a governorship aspirant in Bayelsa State on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC said that he has never discussed the forth coming APC governorship primaries with the late chairman who recently defected to the party.
Regretting some online reports that have linked him to a meeting with Inokoba in his Lagos him before his death, Alaibe said that he had been in Abuja since the week and never visited Lagos.
Alaibe who also expressed regrets on the death of the chairman who he described as “a respected party leader who inspired confidence in members of the party”, also denied giving N5billion to a former governor of the State to step down for him in the primaries.
He urged Journalists to always adhere to the ethics of the profession before publications.
The statement read: “My attention has been drawn to a fabricated, wicked falsehood published online by www.africanexaminer.com on the report of the unfortunate death of Col. Sam Inokoba (Rtd); our beloved former Chairman of the Bayelsa State Chapter the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress.
“Col. Inokoba reportedly died in Lagos during the week.
“But to my greatest shock today, online publishers started flooding my telephone line with calls on the veracity of the report that they had had concerning the death of Inokoba at my residence in Lagos.
“To those who tried to verify, we salute their deep sense of professionalism.
“I want to categorically and honestly state here that I have been in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja since the beginning of the week and I neither invited our beloved chairman to my house nor anywhere in Lagos State for that matter for any discussions or negotiations about the impending gubernatorial primary of our party in Bayelsa State.
“This is part of the figment of the imaginations of those who see my entry into the governorship race in my state as a big threat to them.
“Indeed, they should be worried because Bayelsa State had been held under the clutches of characters who believe in the continued subjugation of the teeming members of the public, treating them as vassals and slaves.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Chief Inokoba was a respected party leader who inspired confidence in members of the party. His loss is a great misfortune to our party
“Relying on the age-old tradition of values and ethics, I urge journalists to engage their job with a deep sense of fairness, balance and conscientious display of professional underpinning with a view to joining hands to build a society where the just shall always excel and not capitulate to the whims of those whose only stock in trade is to destroy others with blatant falsehood.
“Only earlier this week, a similar wicked story was carried by the same www.africanexaminer.com to the effect I offered a former governor of Bayelsa State N5 billion so that he could step down to clear the way for my governorship ambition.
“It is becoming clearer that having lost face with professional and conscientious journalists in the mainstream print and broadcast media, enemies of progress have resorted to some online publications where honesty, fairness and ethical standards are alien.”
Supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in their hundreds yesterday on Wednesday shut down the national secretariat of the party, demanding the reversal of Prince Abubakar Audu’s emergence as the governorship candidate in the forthcoming Kogi election.
Audu, last Saturday emerged the party flag bearer ahead the November 21 governorship election in Kogi state, beating 27 other aspirants.
The former governor who had on Tuesday, denied the certificate of return by the national secretariat on the ground that the grace given to other aspirants to submit petition against the primaries election conducted by governor Nasir El-rufai led committee, was not not over got another shock of his life with the massive protest on Wednesday.
Some of the protesters who carried placards against the former kogi governor candidacy, with boldly inscriptions like “Kogi state say no to Audu, “We need a credible leader in kogi” among others, were also seen throwing stone at Audu’s supporters within the party house premises.
Leader of the protesters, Suleiman Muhammad, told newsmen in an interview that Audu ongoing case with EFCC was enough to disqualify him from the contest.
He said: “We are here to protest against the candidature of Prince Abubakar Audu, under the platform of APC for the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi state. We say no to Abubakar Audu because he has N11 billion Naira corruption case with the EFCC, until he clear himself of the case he has no moral right to present himself for an election.
“The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has declared war against corruption. We the concern citizens of Kogi state are in support of his anti corruption move. We want to toll the line of the APC change mantra and we would not support Audu because of his alleged corruption.”
Sources at the party secretariat had on Tuesday confided in some newsmen that some party leaders were initially not comfortable with Audu’s candidacy, saying he will be to big for them to approach if he eventually emerge as governor.
Reacting to the protest, Audu said ” 90 per cent of people in Senate have cases with the EFCC. for the fact that you have case with the EFCC does not make you a criminal. I have contested four different election since 2007 and I was not disqualified, so what are they talking about. I contested in 2003, 2007 and 2011, what are they talking.
“The case with the EFCC 2003 and since then I have been contesting election. It is those that do not have electoral value that are making noise and using cheap means to discredit me, it is a very unfortunate situation.
“EFFC has so far gone to four different court in Lokoja and when I want to get judgement they will quickly go to another court and restart the case. They are shopping for where they will nail me.
“This country constitution states that one is innocent until a court prove him guilty. They are the chief makers.”
The trouble with Peter Obi is that he thinks that he is cleverer than everyone else. He maintains a bland and colourless surface that conceals a grandiose interior. He talks with the voice of a woman in a labour but carries a heart of stone. He maintains a well cultivated religious outlook but his soul is the engine room of demons. The former governor of Anambra State reminds me of a luscious apple with a large maggot neatly embedded in its middle. So, can we really blame those who mistake him for a good man?
The trouble with Peter Obi is that he believes that no one else is smart enough to see through him; that he remains opaque and enigmatic to people around him. He immerses himself in so many devious games of intrigue and subterfuge – revealing only a side of him that he wants
to share with the public; a side of him that seems pleasant and kind. But beneath the surface lies a vicious puff adder. The side that stirs awake in the dead of the night to order a contractor to the Governor’s Lodge and demand a kickback for jobs awarded in broad day light. The disingenuous side that lays bobby- traps for his successor with the eleventh hour award of multiple contracts without any provisioning.
The trouble with Peter Obi is not just that he thinks that he could deceive the priests and the religious in Anambra State after forcing a wedge between the denominations and setting the house of God on fire by instigating bitter rivalries between God’s servants. No. It is that Peter thinks that the rest of us would believe his innocence once he is decorated with high religious titles and maintains the well-worn attitudes of false religion. Meanwhile, the landscape is still reeling from the many horrors of his my-church-is-better-than-your-church policy which polarised brothers and split time-honoured friendships. If Peter does not consider us all fickle and thoughtless he wouldn’t have left the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, still asking whether Anambra is cursed. He would have accepted that he is the curse himself; the very pox that has continued to corrode Anambra State even after his exit from power.
The other trouble with Peter Obi is that he believes that after stealing Anambra State blind, he could just rustle up a ridiculous handover note and force-feed his voodoo accounting principles on the rest of us and we would lap it all up without question and remain eternally grateful that we have been touched by an angel. What a cheek! Peter thinks that because he spent all his years in Nsukka, “peddling stuff” rather than studying philosophy, we are all addle-headed like him and would not remember or understand that in any accounting process, there are assets and liabilities as well as credit and debit. So, he manufactured a aughable handover note that is full of dead bodies and believes that by shouting about it from the rooftops, our attention would be diverted from him while he enjoys his loot in absolute peace. Worse still, he believes that his spin doctors; Val Obienyem and Mazi Odera have all the cunning and firepower to weave believable stories that would mislead probing eyes. So, he directed them to shout about his phoney N75bn anytime Governor Obiano’s performance seems to attract a positive reaction and hijack the encomium for the little god of Agulu.
Unfortunately, in his blind pursuit of vendetta, he fails to realise that many people are aware that no one in his right mind would withhold or divert an applause meant for a governor who has proved himself with a resounding performance in one and a half years. He forgot that sooner than later, people would begin to wonder if the great achievements they are seeing all over Anambra State are still the products of the past administration which “democratised poverty” with its famed “supermarket” knowledge of economics. They would begin to ask questions about all the local government allocations in eight years and the huge security votes that have now been ploughed into building poorly run shopping malls in Abuja and elsewhere. People would also ask questions about the blatant rape of Anambra State, the award of contracts without due process, the dubious collaborations with South African businessmen and the criminal neglect of Awka, the state capital, for so many years. Naturally, they would shudder at the utter lack of big ideas in eight years and the disastrous entry into national politics that cost Goodluck Jonathan a well-deserved second term and threw Ndigbo into a political evil forest. Of course they would remember that Chukwuma Soludo had warned Jonathan of the inevitable consequences of having Peter as his adviser. But Jonathan did not pay attention. He had hoped that if Jesus had told Peter, “Upon this Rock will I build my church…,” then, he too could build his second term hopes on the Peter of Agulu. Now, it has dawned on Goodluck Jonathan that Obi is a different kind of Peter; in fact, that this Peter is no ROCK at all!
The real trouble with Peter Obi is that he takes himself too seriously. Peter believes that his “clever” politics of yester years is still valid today. So, he goes around visiting schools that he had starved of funds as a two-term governor, handing out miserable N1m cheques while smiling impishly to cameras and hugging the widows left behind by elder statesmen whose medical bills he had refused to pay while they struggled for life and making a meal of the photo opportunities. And funnily, he believes that we are all conned into accepting this moth-eaten image of a squeaky clean “St. Peter.”
The niggling trouble with Peter Obi is that he does not understand that you do not preserve a legacy by fighting for them or constantly reminding the people about them. No. Once we struggle to preserve a legacy, it takes something away from it. Legacies are like monuments embedded in memory. They are not easily washed away by the vagaries of time. They continue to announce themselves through the ages by the sheer force of their enduring value. A great legacy does not need the hagiographic skills of Val Obienyem or the praise songs of Mazi Odera. A legacy endures in the very lives of the people that it exists to serve. So, in striving to preserve the roads he built and the cheques he handed to Mission Schools and hospitals, Peter Obi is unwittingly calling attention to his lack of signature projects; his lack of a legacy. And the import of all this is not lost on us.
In the end, the actual tragedy of Peter Obi is the fact that he has chosen to write his name in the dark chapters of history. And no one should save him from his destiny. It is the road he chose to travel and the cobwebs of infamy are waiting to engulf him as he journeys.
