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Anambra 2010: The Many trouble of Peter Obi
Walter Duru, posted Sun. June 21, 2009

As the next gubernatorial election in Anambra State draws near, the storm appears to be
raging very high with the core opposition as well as the other gladiators strategising
seriously.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, which sponsored the incumbent governor,
Peter Obi, appears divided on the return of  the governor to the Anambra State
Government House through its platform, following the leadership crises that have rocked
the Party’s national structure for several years now.

The  Governor is said to have been loyal to the Chief Victor Umeh’s faction of the party,  
as against the Chief Chekwas Okorie’s faction, which is said to be recognised by the
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, following a Supreme Court ruling, in
his favour.

Investigations however revealed that the Victor Umeh’s faction of the Party may not have
obeyed the said ruling of the Court, hence, the continued existence of his group. While
the Chekwas Okorie’s faction is starved of funds, the other appears very buoyant, having
the backing and support of a serving governor.

This situation, no doubt, may have kept the governor in a state of dilemma, as to which
way to follow, especially, now that the next general election is around the corner. Chief
Chekwas Okorie has severally been quoted as saying that Governor Obi shall not have
the Party’s ticket to run in the 2010 general election in the state. Recently, the governor
was also linked to a move to reconcile the two factions of the party, o move which many
predict, will hit brick walls.

Again, his relationship with his Deputy, Mrs Etiaba is also said not to be cordial, a
situation that is also seen as a threat to his second tenure ambition.
Just recently also, the governor was linked to a two hundred and fifty million naira money
laundering scandal; a development that has in no small measure put a question mark on
the integrity of the governor.

Reacting to this development, Benjamin Maduka writes: “It is hoped that Governor Peter
Obi has not been hemmed into a serious scandal of local money laundering. On June 2,
2009, many Nigerian newspapers were awash with the news that one governor from the
south-east (some called him businessman-governor) was involved with N250million being
transferred in cash in three suit cases.
The story had it that security agents had on tip-off trailed the matter and eventually
traced it with one Ejike Onwosugbolu said to be Governor Obi’s business associate.

While some media failed to go direct in mentioning Governor Obi’s name, it was ‘The
Nation’ newspaper on its page 12 that gave an almost precise and direct account of the
incidence. In its brief story, it quoted the Obi’s Special Assistant (Media and Publicity)
Valentine Obienyem as saying that the money was not up to one-tenth of what was
mentioned. This indirectly, is an admission of Obi’s involvement  with the money that
was found on Ejike  Onwosugbolu of Glitz Introvert Company who he claimed had
explained that the money was from a job done for the government.

One would like to know when government resorted to ‘paying contractors’ in huge cash if
not to avoid being traced. One may like to ask to know the particular government job
which Obi’s Special Assistant Media said it was for. One would like to know what EFCC
and ICPC are for and if they allow this to be swept like others under the carpet, they
should better be scrapped”.

Again, a group which calls itself the International Society For Civil Liberties And The Rule
Of Law, Intersociety,  has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to
investigate the case.  The petition signed by Comrade Emeka Umeagbalasi,
Chairman, Board of Trustees  reads:

“Dear Chairman: Re-N250 Million Money Laundering Scam  Involving Governor Peter
Obi`s Contractor (Mr. Ejike Onwusogbulu) And Others: Comprehensive And Conclusive
Investigations Are Necessary

We, in the International Society For Civil Liberties And The Rule Of Law, Intersociety,
humbly write to Your Commission, concerning the named subject matter.
On Sunday, the 1st day of June, 2009, the police in Lagos State were alerted by yet-to-
be-identified persons, concerning strange movement of vehicular, which reportedly
belonged to the Government of Anambra State.

The informers had reportedly informed the police that the vehicles were in possession of
caches of arms and ammunition, reportedly purchased by the Government of Anambra
State, to be used against its opponents and the Anambra populace in the upcoming
gubernatorial election in Anambra State. When the police struck, according to sources,
they discovered huge sums of money in different naira denominations, which were
reportedly stashed in some Ghana-Must-Go bags. The said vehicles were reportedly
moving towards N0 7, Aerodrome  Street, Apapa in  Lagos State, which is the corporate
headquarters of companies belonging to Mr. Peter Obi and his associates. It was also
discovered, as alleged, that one Ejike Onwusogbulu of Glitz Introvert Ltd. Lagos, who
allegedly works for the Government of Anambra State, as a contractor, was the carrier of
the said huge sums of money.

Since then, the following versions of the story have been in circulation: That the sum of
N250 million was involved and recovered; That the sum of N2.5 Billion was involved;  That
the sum of 25 million US Dollars was involved; That those caches of arms and
ammunition were found in the vehicular; That the money found, was not up to any of the
amount mentioned (government source);That the movement of such huge cash to the
source mentioned, has become a routine; That the money, recovered, was meant to be
laundered through unconventional routes; That the said money was to be kept at N0. 7,
Aerodrome Street , Apapa, Lagos State , from where it would be stashed in ECOLAG
bags, escorted to Cotonou in Benin Republic , flown to The Gambia via Slok Airliners, for
its onward transfer to the Republic of Cape Verde , where it would be stashed away; That
Governor Peter Obi is a pretender, fraudulent, profligate, plunderer, corrupt and an abuser
of office, who stashes

Anambra Commonwealth in the Republic of Cape Verde ;That Mr. Valentine Obienyem,
Governor Obi`s Special Assistant on Media Matters and some relatives and close
associates of Mr. Peter Obi, were in company of Mr. Ejike Onwusogbulu, in the said
vehicles, when they were caught; That the ownership of the said monies, which is a
looted fund, as alleged, is between Mr. Peter Obi and his media aide, Mr. Val.
Obienyem; That the money so recovered, is one of the numerous dirty and illegal trans-
State (Anambra) transactions, carried out by Mr. Peter Obi and his cronies, which go
unreported; That the money so recovered was derived from genuine business
transactions between Mr. Ejike Onwusogbulu, his Glitz Introvert Limited and the
Government of Anambra State; That the money so recovered, was meant, specifically,
for the purchase of brand new and Belgium automobiles for the Government of Anambra
State;  That the money was not to be laundered, but it was received
from cash payments made by the Government of Anambra State to the said contractor
last weekend; That the automobile dealers, especially those operating from wharfs, sell
cheaper and supply high grades, on cash and-cash basis.

Among these versions, what baffles the informed mostly is the carriage of the huge cash,
and on a Sunday. Though, a source claimed that it was to be used in the following day
(Monday). Some critics have also questioned the rationale behind Governor Peter Obi`s
curious visit on Sunday (01/06/09) to his Apapa office, on the heels of the incident.
Though, a source, again, claimed that his visit was prompted by a weighty allegation that
caches of arms and ammunition were found in his passive convoy in Lagos.

In the events of these, we are of the firm view that it is only by competently,
comprehensively and conclusively investigating this matter, that truth could be known;
our laws protected, Anambra treasury secured, public interest protected and the
accused exonerated and their image cleared if they are found to be innocent.

Therefore, we humbly call upon Your Commission to investigate the said matter, as a
matter of uttermost immediacy, competence, comprehensiveness and conclusiveness.
Your Commission investigations may be primarily focused on financial criminal aspect
(money laundering, etc). And in the course of the investigation, relevant laws pertaining
to cash transaction, transit, carriage, etc, shall be considered.

All the sixteen listed versions as well as the principle of mens reu (intention) shall be
fully examined and exploited. The following persons shall be invited and dispassionately
interrogated:

May we, also, remind Your Commission that by the Nigerian Supreme Court Precedent,
in: Chief Gani Fawehinmi versus Governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a sitting governor can be
investigated, indicted or exonerated? If indicted, he would face criminal prosecution after
his immunity (see section 308 of the 1999 Constitution) elapsed. If other persons
mentioned or suspected, are indicted, they should be prosecuted accordingly. The report
of Your Commission`s findings shall be made public.

We humbly, trust in Your Commission prompt and competent handling of this important
matter”
 
Apart from this new twist, the Uba family factor in the State is another difficult hurdle that
he must cross. The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last
general election in the state and former aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo,
Chief Andy Uba, is not relenting in his struggle to return to the Anambra State  
Government House, which he occupied for less than one Month, before the historic
Supreme Court Ruling that reinstated the then ousted Governor Obi to complete his
tenure.
More so, just recently, the Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Grand
Alliance, APGA, has condemned the alleged wanton looting of the treasury of the state
by the state governor Peter Obi saying the governor is on his own.   
   
The party said as a people-oriented political party, it is committed to accountability and
the principles of good governance, hence condemns entirely the act of looting Anambra
State treasury.

In a release signed by the State Chairman of the party in Anambra, Dr. Okey Umeano
and sent to Niger Delta STANDARD recently, the party said it deemed it fit to “state
clearly before the good people of Anambra State and the entire world that Mr. Peter Obi
is on his own in the 250million Naira Money Laundering Crisis rocking his government.
“All Progressives Grand Alliance as a party that emerged as direct challenge to the bad
governance that have plagued our fatherland since Independence, will not in any way be
party to any act that is capable of perpetuating   Ndigbo in political doldrums”
The statement which further reads in part said “the sad memories of the then government
in power were fresh in the minds of our people when they voted overwhelmingly for APGA
in 2003.

“It is true that the All Progressives Grand Alliance provided the platform for the realization
of the gubernatorial ambition of Mr. Peter Obi, APGA as a responsible political party will
not provide any platform for the looting of Anambra State”, it said.
While calling on relevant bodies to investigate the scandal with a view to ascertaining the
criminality or otherwise of the said transaction, the party enjoined  Anambra people to
remain law abiding and continue to support the ideals of APGA which it said do not
encourage corrupt practices.

It would be recalled that the Lagos State Police Command on 29 May, 2009
apprehended a group of men said to be aids of the Anambra State governor Obi as they
were ferrying the total sum of N250 million to a company belonging to the governor at the
Apapa area of Lagos.

The aides were said to have employed the official vehicles of the governor of Anambra
State in their sordid mission.

Governor Obi’s latest troubles could truncate his chances for a possible ticket under the
platform of the Progressive Peoples  Alliance [PPA]. It could be  recalled that the
Chairman of Board of Trustees of PPA, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu had extended a public
invitation to Governor Peter Obi to come over to join the PPA “ that the ticket for
gubernatorial run for Anambra 2010 was there for the wanting, if he [Obi] intends to return
to the government house”.

However, with the Governor of Anambra State battling for political survival in shark  
infected waters, the fast dwindling public trust over what was once a solid integrity in turn
has led political blocks who once saw a beautiful bribe in the Governor to distance
themselves from the embattled governor.

Just recently also, the Supreme Court struck out Chief Andy Uba’s  suit where he
prayed the Court to reverse its decision on the Anambra case. He also, in one of the
suits prayed the Court to declare him ‘Anambra State Governor in waiting’, a suit, which
he also lost; as the Court ruled that he contested for a position that was not vacant.
These whole developments do not call for celebration by the Governor Obi’s camp as
Chief Uba is still not relenting. Worst still is the fact that he[Andy Uba] is said to have
reconciled by his billionaire younger brother, Chief Chris Uba; a development that
naturally transforms to more threat to Governor Obi’s second term ambition.
In addition,Dr.  Chris Ngige factor is another source of worry to the Governor.  Our
investigations revealed that Dr. Ngige, who contested in the last gubernatorial election
under the platform of the Action Congress, is more than ever before, set to wrestle power
out of the incumbent in the next general election. Some factors counting in his favour
include his good performance during his short stay in office as governor before he was
thrown out by the Court, as well as his grassroots mobilization ability.

Anchored on the fore going, it is therefore obvious that the road to Anambra State
Government House come 2010 is very thorny, with no party willing to compromise.
This is the time for Political leaders in the State to be judged by their works; as they
must work out their salvation. The masses are placed in a position to make the right
choice on whom their next Governor would be, considering their antecedents.
The incumbent governor, Peter Obi must have by now, known if he has performed
creditably well or not to merit a second tenure or otherwise. He must also take deliberate
steps to straighten his records and clear the air on the recent charge of local money
laundering, if he is actually not guilty, or resign immediately, if his explanations are not
convincing.

The Peoples Democratic Party, as we all know has no other option other than to plot on
how to rig the election.  The Party must at this point, have a rethink, as the masses
shall not fold their arms to see it throw them into another round of Political Crises and
Confusion. They must begin to think of fielding a credible candidate that will be
acceptable to the people and also go an extra mile in trying to convince the people that
they are genuinely ready to change and run an open and transparent government.

Again, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, must drop its cloak  of
being the ‘rigging machine’ of the Peoples Democratic Party and for once, give
Democracy a chance, by ensuring that a free, fair, credible, transparent and acceptable
election is conducted in the State, come 2010.

More so, Civil Society groups in the State must wake up to the challenge of
‘conscientising’ the people on the need for popular participation in next year’s general
election in the state.

Political Parties and groups in the state must also begin early to mobilize the grassroots
people for their support, instead of waiting to cause confusion, in the bid to secure a
‘short cut’ at the verge of, or during the election.
Politicians in the State must also desist from heating up the polity, but should rather
think of how to make it better for all to live in.
Furthermore, the masses must as a matter of serendipity, wake up to the challenge of
taking their destiny in their hands. The wish of the masses must prevail. Democracy is
the tyranny of the majority and must be allowed to have its way. Anything short of that
attracts social reprehension and must be seen and treated as such.

‘Anambrarians’, now is the time. Let’s be great again.

Walter Duru is a journalist and Port Harcourt based Media/ Public Relations Consultant.
walterchike@yahoo.com