Former Governor of Anambra State,
Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife (Okwadike Igbo-Ukwu) has canvassed support for the
second-term bid of the State governor, Chief Willy Obiano, saying the governor
has done well enough to deserve another four-year term.
Ezeife, an economist and first
civilian Governor of new Anambra State, said in his country home at Igbo-Ukwu,
Aguata Local Council, that from what he has seen and going by people’s
testimonies, he was convinced that the governor has what it takes to lead
Anambra for another four years.
“I don’t hide my opinion. I told the
governor that…in politics, society, economy and the likes, seek thee first
security and people who feel secure in your place would do your bidding by
investing, thereby propagating agriculture, manufacturing and all other things.
But if they do not fee secure, nothing would happen,” he declared.
“Last Christmas, we came home and
enjoyed. Last Easter, we came home and enjoyed as well. And long before then,
after six months of his inauguration, we started to enjoy coming home.
Formerly, our big men would stop at Asaba and pack their vehicles, if they had
to come this way at all. They would hire taxi, come in the day and smuggle
themselves away in the night.”
Besides, the elder statesman
described as commendable the fact that the Obiano administration has done so
well in agriculture that Anambra is now exporting agricultural produce to
Europe.
“When he said his administration had
started exporting Ugu (pumpkin leaf), some people started saying that it
was a lie, a fabrication and all that. When I heard about it, I came back and
asked people where the so-called ugu was being; APC said it was
fabrication. When I heard about it, I came home, asked around and they showed
me. I was surprised; eventually, I met with the pilot who specialises in
carrying the stuff.
I was also told that the same pilot
is also packaging other items such as yams, onugbu (beater leaf) and the
rest for Shoprite, from Anambra farms. These are things that, as a well-trained
governor of Anambra, I never conceived such ideas. You know in politics, some
people are always prepared to say that everything is a lie, but they have not
been able to show me one lie,” the former governor remonstrated.
And contrary to opinion in
some quarters, Ezeife also described the three flyovers built in Awka, the
state capital by the Obiano Administration as stately and comparable to any
such infrastructure elsewhere in the world.
“Everybody who passes through
Awka can testify that those three flyovers there make the State capital look
special – like London Bridge if you like. So, I have looked around and the
young man is hardworking,” the Oxford University trained scholar further
stated.
Ezeife said the allegation that the
governor is doing much more in the northern part of Anambra than in other parts
is largely misplaced, noting that it is only natural for the governor to
develop the under-developed part of the State, which Anambra North represents.
He said: “My answer is that if
we who had held power ignored that place, it is still part of Anambra, let him
develop it. I went to Nsukka and I was so happy.
You see, what is happening in Anambra is
happening in Nsukka too, which is Enugu North, which is holding power now. If
you haven’t been to Nsukka in a long time, you would not recognise it today.
So, I was the first elected governor
of Anambra State but I never did anything for my area. By then, there was
nobody to copy and I was doing the best I knew, not giving advantage to my
place. If Willy Obiano faces his place and develops it, the next person will
come from the South.”
He urged not to relent in trying to
give Anambra North a face-lift, arguing: “Let him also face his place and
develop it and before you know it, development will go round. It is that
simple, and that is the beauty of rigid rotation of power. But on the whole, I
think he has worked hard enough to deserve re-election.”