Since coming onboard as the fourth democratically elected governor of Anambra State, a financial expert and technocrat, Chief Willie Obiano, has remained surefooted, focused and has taken the state to greater heights.
In the area of infrastructure, the governor has kept his promises to his people by undertaking projects which range from roads, housing, the Umueri Cargo Airport and several other life-touching interventions that have put smiles on the faces of Anambrarians.
Today, the governor who will complete his second term in office this year remains poised in his avowed commitment to leave Anambra State better than he met it when he first assumed the top chair on March 17, 2014.
Whenever the man who has remained faithful to the spirit and letters of the All Progressives Grand Alliamce (APGA), the political party on which platform he rode to power seven years ago, exits the Anambra State Government House, his place in the state’s pages of history will be assured. He’ll leave the stage with his head held high given the maturity and stability he has brought to a hitherto rancorous Anambra political milieu.
Even when he fell out with his erstwhile godfather and benefactor, Mr. Peter Obi, the Aguleri-born top banker-turned-politician, did not allow whatever differences he had with a man on whose back he rode to power to derail the ship of the state. He remained calm, collected and kept his eyes fully on the task of delivering on his campaign promises to his people. The seeming turmoil between both men came and fizzled out without the fracas having any significant dent on the workings of government.
It is to the credit of Obiano that in the heat of the tension in his relationship with his predecessor, he restrained himself from using uncouth language on his boss despite the pressure from some quarters for him to do so. Though he spent a good part of his life in the private sector, Chief Willie Obiano brought with him to governance uncommon discipline and prudence that have since formed part of his towering personality.
When he was once accused by critics of mismanaging state funds, Obiano was quick to remind his traducers that he was already a self-made man who had all life could offer at his beck and call before accepting the invitation to return home and serve his people as governor.
Said Obiano: “Look, let me tell you, I was a wealthy person before I came here as a governor. I didn’t come here to steal, because there is nothing here for me to steal.
“I was enjoying my wealth in the United States of America with my family before I was approached to come and do this job as a governor.
“I had already made good money before venturing into politics. I was relishing in the comfort of my house, with swimming pool, basketball court and other good things in the United States before providence brought me here.
“I am an accomplished person by every measurement. Providence brought me here as governor to serve the people.
“In terms of enjoyment, there is none here to enjoy as a governor, with all this protocol restricting my comfort.”
While some may have misconstrued his comments, what the governor meant was that accusing him of pilfering the state till was uncalled for given that he was already a comfortable man in his own right before becoming governor, hence couldn’t stoop so low to steal from the state’s coffers.
The governor had come under criticism over alleged profligacy in the handling of state’s resources, including mismanaging N75 billion allegedly left in the state’s coffers by his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi.
But during a media chat, he debunked such claims, saying that with his banking background, he has maintained financial prudence and transparency in the management of the state’s resources.
Since emerging governor of Anambra State, first in 2014 before being reelected on November 18, 2017, Chief Willie Obiano has steered the ship of the state diligently along the path of development and prosperity. His financial propriety and the sheer calming presence he has brought to the politics of the state all bear eloquent testimony to his personae.
A man who cares about the welfare of his people, Obiano, during the lockdown occasioned by the novel coronavirus pandemic, provided palliatives for all category of the citizenry, among whom the elderly numbered prominently.
In a statewide broadcast during the nationwide lockdown, the governor had announced that in addition to the palliatives meant for citizens who were above 70 years, youths, whom he said his administration holds in high regards, would enjoy similar gesture. His words: “Ndi Anambra, this administration has always prioritized the youths in all our activities. It is on account of this that we have decided to extend a similar gesture we gave to senior citizens above 70 years to Anambra youths this time around. In specific terms, we shall soon be handing out 400 bags of rice per community to each of the 181 communities in Anambra State. The bags of rice shall be distributed to the youths of these communities through the same channels that were used in distributing the ones meant for the senior citizens. It is my fervent hope that this gesture will go a long way in alleviating the pains of Covid-19 on our youths.”
Exercising his prerogative of mercy given the need to decongest the correctional centres to check the spread of Covid-19, Governor Obiano unconditionally pardoned and released 54 prisoners from the four correctional facilities in the state. Upon granting them pardon and subsequent release, the governor said,” I hope that this decision will not only bring hope and joy to some families but that it will also help to decongest our correctional facilities.”
Aware of the crunch times brought about by Covid-19 and the need to ensure adequate food supply post-Covid-19, the governor announced that the state has come up with a short term plan that will ensure that food supply is not adversely affected in the state after Covid-19 pandemic.
“To achieve this, we have taken the following steps: Secured 3000 hectares of arable land in the agricultural belt of the state for large scale farming during this planting season. This initiative is expected to take over 2000 youths off the labour market; ordered the purchase of seven tractors to be deployed in the cultivation of the land; empowered women and youths by providing them with cages for poultry and feedstock for birds; commenced the distribution of agricultural inputs at subsidized rates to farmers.”
The governor expressed optimism that the strict implementation of this initiative shall “give us food security during this pandemic and afterwards.”
What more, Chief Willie Obiano’s steps have been measured, calculative and ingenious as he seeks to transform Anambra State in many areas and makes it to truly reflect its sobriquet as the “The Light of the Nation”.
Chief Obiano has ensured equitable distribution of resources across the state by ensuring that no area is cheated or left out of his development plans for the state. The state will go into another election next year without much rancour because the governor has preached and harped on the need to maintain the zoning of political offices that has kept the state on the path of peace and harmony.
As he winds down his days in office as governor, Obiano, fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), can beat his chest in confidence knowing full well that he has, to the best of his human ability and capacity, kept his own side of the social contract he entered into with Ndi Anambra when he assumed leadership of the state as its fourth democratically elected governor.
