Obiano deserves to be re-elected as Anambra State Governor

II Anambra State’s slogan, “The light of the nation”, not a fitting and apt description of the state? In fact, it is a snapshot of the state’s human and material resource and the achievements of its natives in diverse areas of human specialization. Anambra state is the home state of the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, a revered intellectual, Pan-Africanist, and freedom fighter; Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Common-Wealth Secretary General; the late Professor Chike Obi, a globally recognized mathematician; the late Chinua Achebe, raconteur par excellence and one of the fathers of modern African literature; the late Chief Osita Osadebe, a great musician; John Mikel Obi, ace footballer, and the Super Eagles captain; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, an international award-winning novelist; Mary Onyali-Omagbemi, former African Sprints Queen of the tracks ,and others. For the reason of space, I will not list many other high-fliers in diverse professions, who hail from Anambra state.

And, Anambra has the largest market in the West-Africa sub-region, which is the Onitsha Main-Market. The economic activities that take place daily in the commercial towns of Onitsha and Nnewi, both in Anambra State, yield huge revenue to the state. And, it is an indisputable fact that Anambra State is critical to Nigeria’s economic growth. Many business men, who are Anambra indigenes, engage in international trade and other businesses, which boost our country’s economic growth.

But, sadly, Anambra State, which is immensely blessed with both human and material resources, has not fully realized its potential as political godfatherism and bad leadership slowed down its pace of development in the past. When the bible- thumping lawyer, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju ,was in the saddle of power, Anambra State was thrown into a dystopian condition as schools were shut down for a considerable length of time, pensioners were owed arrears of pension, and the Anambra populace was disaffected with his leadership style. To make matters worse, he was engaged in a bitter fight for political supremacy and the control of Anambra state’s finances with his political godfather, Chief Emeka Offor, which distracted him from offering us purposeful political leadership.

His successor in office, Dr. Chris Ngige, put Anambra State on economic and political ascendance with his qualitative and visionary political leadership. His revolutionary achievements in the area of road construction and rehabilitation have become praxis and template for successive governors of the state. And, Mr.Peter Obi, a former governor of the state, posted a stellar performance during his leadership of Anambra State. He recorded outstanding landmark achievements in the areas of health, education, and infrastructural development. More importantly, he’s known for his judicious management of Anambra State’s financial resources. His parsimony as to handling Anambra’s monetary issues is legendary and commendable. And Anambra state was better off for it, then, however.

Now, the current Governor of Anambra state, Chief Willie Obiano, is rapidly improving on the achievements recorded by his predecessors in office. A former banker, he has been husbanding the state’s finances prudently since he received the mantle of leadership as the Anambra state governor. Little wonder, he has received many awards and accolades for his excellent leadership achievements.

It’s Governor Willie Obiano, who revived and boosted the dying practice of agriculture in the state with the formulation and implementation of pragmatic agricultural policies. Today, Anambra is a net exporter of vegetables. And Anambra’s rice is preferred to other varieties of rice cultivated and produced by other states in the country. The state’s embrace of agriculture has led to the building of agro-allied industries across towns in the state. These industries had employed workers, thereby reducing the number of unemployed people in Nigeria.

In addition to these, the governor has embarked on infrastructural development of the state with flyover bridges that are built in Awka, the state capital. New roads are being constructed; and bad ones rehabilitated .And he has equipped schools and health institutions in the state with laboratory equipment, instructional materials, and computers. He has been assisting them financially, too. Those measures, which he has been implementing, have boosted their capacities to perform optimally.

More importantly, not being unaware that the security of lives and property is the principal condition necessary for the development of a state, he formulated and executed security measures, which have rid the state of kidnappers, armed robbers, pickpockets, hoodlums, and others. Being safe and secure, Anambra State is now a hive of economic activities. And some towns, other than the commercial towns of Onitsha and Nnewi, have become boom towns.

Little wonder, the people of the state, especially the Anambra State civil servants, are rooting for the re-election of Chief Willie Obiano as the Anambra state governor. Governor Obiano is sensitive to the plight of workers. And, he does not trifle with their welfare. He is conscious of the fact that the civil service is the pivot of government. Expectedly, he pays civil servants their salaries promptly ,approves training for deserving civil servants , rewards outstanding civil servants with gifts and money on civil service days, and offers financial assistance to bereaved workers and those injured while doing their duties. His avuncular disposition to civil servants and issues affecting them has boosted the morale of the Anambra state civil servants. Now, the state’s civil service is performing optimally.

But is Anambra State under the watch of Governor Willie Obiano not making progress in many areas of governance? Chief Willie Obiano, a pragmatic political visionary and astute manager of human and material resources, is deserving of a second term in office in order that he will consolidate on his achievements. He is needed to be around in Anambra State for the next four years to extend the frontiers of economic, technological, and infrastructural development of the state.

So, it behooves on well-meaning people of Anambra state, irrespective of the political parties to which they belong, to lend unalloyed support to Governor Willie Obiano in his re-election bid. Anambra should be in safe and tested hands to vouchsafe its continued economic and technological progress as well as political stability.

Members of APGA, the political party on whose platform Governor Obiano will run for governor, should sink their differences, rally behind Chief Willie Obiano, and offer him support. I would like them to know that no election in Nigeria now will be a cake walk for an incumbent Governor or president, no matter his or her popularity with the people.

Governor Obiano’s clear-cut governmental policies, stellar performance so far, and popularity with the masses and the proletariat, however, will win millions of supporters and voters to his side. Anambra people, who are political sophisticates, cannot be deceived by the political gimmickry, chicanery, and demagoguery being exhibited by Governor Obiano’s political foes and rivals.

Okoye, is a poet and civil servant wrote from Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State.

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