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Obiano at 68: A man and his legacies

Published

3 years ago

August 10, 2023

By IfeanyiChukwu Afuba

In spite of Nigeria’s socio economic upheavals, there’s an abiding sense of hope in Anambra State. The belief is strong that Anambra State is safe in the hands of Professor Chukwuma Soludo. Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Paulinus Ezeokafor who tasked local government chairmen on July 30, 2023, to emulate Soludo echoed the widespread view of citizens when he said: “The Governor is performing well especially in infrastructure development and agriculture.” However, this singular opportunity of the Soludo governorship arose from the vision and tenacity of one man, Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano; who as it were, marks his 68th birthday this 8 August, 2023.

We recall that Soludo was a deliberate choice of Obiano and it took intense nomination battles to secure his APGA governorship ticket in 2021. Obiano was resolute on Soludo because as he said, “I was convinced that he is a very good material.” The Aguleri – born leader stated it loud and clear that “Soludo will do better than myself.” ThisDay columnist and former editor, Olusegun Adeniyi could not help noting that “it takes character to say such things in today’s Nigeria” in the essay, “2023 and Obiano’s Worthy Example” (ThisDay, May 4, 2022).

Anambra’s recent history shows that it took Obiano’s push to salvage the medical programme of the Anambra State University and graduate it’s first set of students. The pioneer class of medical students could not graduate in 2012 after six years of study because the prescribed learning had not been completed. The Nigerian Medical and Dental Council could not grant approval in the face of inability to meet accreditation requirements.

At the inception of Willie Obiano’s administration in 2014, the remaining medical students were in their eight year, many having abandoned the programme in frustration. And in a burst of empowerment and sponsorship of the Faculty of Medicine, the requisite standards were finally attained, leading to graduation of the last standing 13 in December 2015, after almost ten years. The historic set were immediately offered employment by Anambra State Government.

It was a similar experience of eyes on the ball which broke the barriers to the State’s attainment of oil – producing rank. Although the Chinwoke Mbadinuju administration had taken initial laudable steps on the venture, successive governments were unable to execute core demands of the project. Aside making the State’s oil fields in Aguleri – Uno and Ogwuaniocha accessible with good roads and the spectacular 290 metre Aguleri – Otu bridge, Obiano drew on his investment banker reach to ensure that set production levels for recognition as oil – producing were met by the State. Today, accruals from derivation revenue has become an additional source of income for the State, powering development needs.

The list of governorship legacies is long. Constraints of space and brevity will not allow all the details. It will suffice to itemize the agro export initiative of the Obiano administration; opening of Court of Appeal Division in Anambra State in 2018; construction of NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp; boost to micro, small and medium enterprises through the award – winning Anambra Small Business Agency. Mention must also be made of the oxygen plant at the State University Teaching Hospital; International Conference Centre, Awka; statewide light – up – Anambra shower and N40b community choice projects in each of the State’s 181 towns.

Those who had intimate knowledge of his charitable spirit in private life were not surprised by the welfarist bent of Obiano’s governorship. One of the first acts of the new Governor in 2014 was a fifteen percent raise of workers’ pay, without prompting from any quarters. Disbelief unfolded on his face the day Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano learnt that operatives of the State Fire Service were entitled to just twenty naira as monthly hazard allowance – and the amount had never been reviewed since creation of the State in 1991. There and then, he directed increase to twenty thousand naira monthly. On another day, a briefing led the Governor to know that Basden School of Special Needs, Isulo, had been receiving fifty thousand naira monthly subvention for the past ten years. “That’s unjust” he said when he recovered from the shock. He instantly approved a new monthly subvention of half a million naira. The administration expended N2.6b on arrears of salaries and benefits of workers of the State Water Corporation, Anambra Broadcasting Service and National Light Newspaper denied them by past administrations.

Afuba

A man with a deep sense of community life, Obiano’s leadership was infused with desirable dose of regional agenda. In the uncertainties of Mohammadu Buhari’s upset presidency in 2015, Chief Willie Obiano – led government held a memorial to honour the Igbo who died in the events of 1966 – 1970. No other southeast Governor had committed to a rite of passage for the Igbo war dead before Obiano’s outing. Nor after. As discussion on constitutional amendments recurred in the Fourth Republic, Obiano’s Anambra State hosted southeast summit on Nigeria’s restructuring in May 2018 which produced the Ekwueme Square Declaration. Veterans of Rangers Football Club, a symbol of Igbo solidarity and reaffirmation in post civil war era, enjoyed a welfare scheme in Obiano’s governorship. It was a blast of nostalgia, friendship renewal and music on April 16, 2017 when the people – oriented administration organised a free concert in Awka featuring popular bands and artistes of the 1970s in the former eastern region.

In the past one and half years since leaving office, Akpokuedike has largely been away from the stage. Yet, his low public profile has not diminished his reputation as a man of the people. At the flag – off of APGA’s campaign for the 2003 general elections on January 14, he was mobbed at Ekwueme Square, Awka by hundreds of enthusiasts, many, paying tribute to his live and let live spirit.

Remarkably, the technocrat – politician has not engaged in any spat, struggle or dispute with his successor. In staying out of the orbit of influence and refusing to distract his successor, Willie Obiano leaves us another legacy in Nigerian government and politics.

A man who trusts that the judgment of history will vindicate him is a man confident that his good works speak quietly for him in the present.

Cheers to a pathfinder for the blessing of a new age.

Afuba is Director, Public Administration Circle, Awka

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Obi dares opponents: I’m an open book! *Expose me, scrutinise others too!

Published

4 hours ago

June 17, 2026

Whirlwindnews

Peter Obi, candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has given assignment to Nigerians to put all those aspiring to take up political positions in the country through the grill to ascertain their level of integrity, saying it was required as a sine qua non for the job they seek.

Obi, who has been a subject of discussion in the polity since the allegation of corruption was levied against him by Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesman of his campaign in 2023, over the conduct of the party’s primaries to choose candidates for the 2027 general elections, said the grilling must start with his own person.

A guest in an interview on a podcast with Rufai Oseni, a popular television anchor, the former Governor of Anambra State, stated that it was actually for this reason that he had now sworn to see the litigation he instituted against Okonkwo through.

His take is that the Nollywood actor should use the courtrooms to give all the details of bad behaviour, following his threat to expose him fully, after alleging that he was collecting money from aspirants in the said election for electoral favours.

Hear him: “The issue of taking Kenneth Okonkwo to court wouldn’t have arisen if he had stopped at those allegations. But he claimed he still has more he would expose about me in the future. So, I am very happy to take him to court so that he can expose me publicly, alongside other Nigerians. If any of them has any criminal allegations against me, they should bring them to court.

“Not just Kenneth, everybody should now say those things they know that is bad about me or I did that is wrong because it’s good for the system, it’s good for the society,” Obi said.

“So, if you know that when we were in primary school, this man was cheating or didn’t go to the primary school, didn’t go to secondary school, didn’t do, if you know this man has done something criminal somewhere, this is time to bring it up.”

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Lifu: This mustn’t happen again – Atiku *Judiciary mustn’t be used to destroy democracy

Published

5 hours ago

June 17, 2026

Whirlwindnews

For the umpteenth time, Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned about the dangerous implication of using state institutions, particularly the judiciary to destroy Nigeria’s democracy, saying it is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good.

Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), speaking on the heels of Tuesday’s verdict of the Court of Appeal, halting the de-registration order by the Federal High Court, insisted that judicial officers must not lend themselves to any act capable of undermining the nation’s democratic process.

The appellate court had ordered a stay of execution on the order made on Monday by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja, for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside four other political parties).

A totally scandalised Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, had taken umbrage, sparing no hard words in upbraiding the lower court judge, stating that his likes were unfit to sit on the bench.

In a unanimous ruling by a three-man panel, the court held that Lifu’s action was “the highest form of judicial impertinence”, stressing that the Supreme Court previously held that a judge who acted in such a manner.

Describing his conduct as the height of judicial rascality, the upper court, stated: “Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court.

“The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution.

This court has the duty to invoke its powers in ensuring that its orders are obeyed. The application for a stay of execution is here yet granted. The enforcement of the judgment is stayed.”

Atiku, who hailed the position of the higher court, which restored his hope to be on the ballot as presidential candidate in the 2027 election, also noted the role of INEC as “significant.”

He said: “I welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay the execution of the Federal High Court judgement seeking the deregistration of our great party, the ADC, and four other political parties. It is particularly significant that INEC itself initiated the application for the stay.

“The development reflects growing public concern over judicial contradictions and politically charged rulings within the judiciary. “Any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democracy through judicial manipulation is a grave danger to the Republic. If our democracy suffers further injury, history will demand accountability from those entrusted with dispensing justice.

Outside ADC, Lifu’s order, also included: Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), similarly slammed for allegedly failing to meet the constitutional requirements for continued registration and participation in elections.

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ADC spits fire! Demands arrest of Lifu *Says, Abuja judge, playing with fire!

Published

1 day ago

June 16, 2026

Whirlwindnews

“He is running in contempt of the court. Justice Lifu should be arrested because he is acting in contempt of the court which is a criminal act,” were the exact words with which the African Democratic Congress (ADC), demonstrated its angst over the court ruling on Monday, ordering its de-registration as a political party in Nigeria.

A furious Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the party, told his host while appearing as a guest on Monday’s edition of Politics Today, a public affairs programme on Channels Television that the judge of the Abuja Federal High Court who gave the order was actually playing with fire because of the consequences.

Directly accusing him of playing the script of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to ensure that President Bola Tinubu emerged the sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election, the party spokesman, was emphatic that the plan would not work, as head or tail, ADC must be on the ballot in all the elections.

Hear him: “There is a Court of Appeal order saying don’t hear this case until October 27. So, on what basis? You can’t place something on nothing. The Court of Appeal said don’t act on this until I hear it on October 27. So, on what basis did he deliver the judgement

“So, for us in the African Democratic Congress, what we’re convinced and they know is what they have done has no leg to stand on legally. What they want to do is to create doubts in the minds of the people that this ADC has too many legal cases, can we actually run on this? And to distract us. But we’re not distracted.

“We’re very clear. It was in spite of all they have done since ADC came on board that we ran one of the best and one of the most comprehensive direct primaries in the history of democracy in Nigeria. So, we are strong enough to withstand this. And that’s why I’m saying that we are going to contest in 2027. We’re ADC. We don’t buckle before dictatorship.”

Stressing on the implication of the judgement, which also affected Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for allegedly failing to meet constitutional and electoral performance requirements, following a suit by the National Forum of Former Legislators, he said it portended grave danger.

He added: “We are not surprised. We know that the Nigerian people believe that there is a problem with the judiciary, but what we did not expect is the level of judicial rascality that was demonstrated today.

“What we are saying is that we reject it in its totality, and we are saying that the people behind this are playing with fire. Hundreds, if not thousands, have obtained nomination forms and contested elections and emerged as candidates on the platform of the ADC.”

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