Embattled Anambra State Governor, Chief Willy Obiano seems to have boxed himself into a tight corner.
Buffeted from all corners- insecurity, defecting House of Assembly Members, alleged very sour relationship with his Deputy – he seems to be mis-speaking.
For a couple of weeks and counting, Obiano had put the blame on the worsening insecurity situation in the State, for which Anambra people are faced with tears, blood and sorrow, and for which the Attorney General and Minister for Justice is threatening State of Emergency, on the opposition All Progressives Party, APC, in the State and its Governorship Candidate, Senator Andy Uba. By words and actions he put the blame on them.
But a couple of days ago, he made an about-turn.
Responding to why he was absent at the meeting of South-east Governors and Leaders which held in Enugu to discuss the security situation in the Zone, especially, as it concerns Anambra, Obiano exonerated Anambra people from the tragedy. He said no Anambra indigene was involved; that the insecurity was imported to Anambra; and so, he didn’t need to be at same table with those who were importing insecurity to his State.
He said this through his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Ifeatu Obiokoye
For exonerating Anambra people, the Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, SAUGCO, says Obiano owes Uba and Anambra people an apology.
A statement signed by Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, Director of Publicity, SAUGCO, says “the Governor’s comment that certain individuals outside Anambra are responsible for unrest has vindicated the APC guber candidate”
Following is the full text of the statement:
The attention of the Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, SAUGCO has been drawn to media reports absolving Anambra citizens from the spate of violence and killings plaguing the state.
Giving reasons why Governor Willy Obiano failed to attend last Tuesday’s regional parley on the deteriorating security situation in Anambra, Special Adviser on Political Matters to Governor Obiano, Chief Ifeatu Obiokoye stated that the governor could not fathom sitting to discuss security with “certain individuals” who he alleged were behind the violence rocking the state.
“What people are saying goes to no issue in the first instance because it is public knowledge that those doing the killings are not from Anambra state and no Anambra person would go to this extent.
“These people are from outside Anambra state and you expect the governor to be holding meetings with them on security challenges which those people are executing?,” Obiokoye had said.
Flowing from the Political Adviser’s open confession that no Anambra person, high or low, is involved in the disturbances ravaging our dear state, it is our contention that he ought to have taken the moral high ground by going ahead to offer unreserved apologies to our Candidate, Senator Andy Uba who the Obiano camp had strenuously tried to malign.
“Conventional wisdom dictates that it is counterproductive to seek to play politics with issues of security. This is so because in attempting to politicise any security challenge, the real culprits would be left with a leeway to continue to evade detection.
“Now, with the open admission that Senator Emmanuel Nnamdi Uba is not in anyway involved in the ugly spectacle going on in Awka, the honourable thing to do is, offer unreserved apologies to him.
“We have always maintained that issues of security is everyone’s call, hence our relentless call on Governor Obiano to step forward and take charge.”
