By Ibekwe Ozuigbo
One dreaded monster all Anambrarians are united in condemning is political godfatherism in the state.
This is a monster that has denied the state its rightful place in the country. It is a phenomenon that concentrates power, state resources and machineries in the hands of one man. States where godfatherism still exists in Nigeria are next in the lines of poverty stricken states in Nigeria.
That Anambra State is godfathers-free state in Nigeria today is as a result of prayers and sacrifices made to God by all Anambrarians.
When godfatherism reared its monstrous heads in Anambra State in 1999 and 2003, we saw how workers’ salaries were not paid for over a year, we saw how schools in the states all went on strike as well as how pensioners were dying before their time without any hope of redemption or a better future.
We also saw how government institutions were destroyed, especially Government House in Awka and the State Broadcasting Station among other vital state agencies. All these acts of terror were unleashed on the state in protest for the continuous milking of the state resources by dubious few who thought that sovereignty belongs to them instead of the people.
While political godfatherism had field day in the state, Ndi-Anambra embarked on serious prayers to God for the liberation of the state from the forces of darkness that held sway in the state.
In what looked like an answered prayer, on March 16, 2006, the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu quashed the election of Dr Chris Ngige, who was imposed on the state by some godfathers.
Reacting, Dr Ngige said the ruling was an attempt by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to unseat him because of a dispute with PDP godfathers who sponsored his election with money.
With the coming of Mr Peter Obi, the state heaved a sigh of relief; not because Mr Obi was outstanding in his performances nor because he was a rocket scientist, but simply because God used the judiciary to end godfatherism in Anambra State with Peter Obi being the first beneficiary.
But, in demonstrating what many commentators describes as ”African Malaise,” Mr Obi is now trying to make himself the new political godfather of Anambra State politics through the PDP candidate, Mr Oseleka Obaze.
Let me educate my readers with relevant examples of what I mean by ”African Malaise.” President Yoweri Museveni was involved in a rebellion against the government of the despotic and maximum ruler of Uganda, former President Idi Amin. Museveni was then seen by the West as the new generation of African leaders who will depart from old method of sit-tightism and godfatherism in African politics, but, like Mr Obi of Anambra State, little did anybody know that Mr Museveni would turn himself to a despotic leader where political godfatherism and sit-tightism in Africa reigns. Yoweri Museveni is the travesty of democracy in the continent.
Just like Mr Peter Obi and his godson, Mr Oseleka Obaze had planned to do in Anambra State if they mistakenly win, Yoweri Museveni weakened all state institutions in Uganda and perpetuated himself as the life president of the country. His wife was appointed a cabinet Minister, his son is a General in the Ugandan Army. His friends and cronies are all in his government holding strategic positions while impoverishing the people of Uganda was their goal.
The same thing can be said of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. This is exactly what Mr Peter Obi wants to achieve in Anambra State politics using Mr Oseleka Obaze. The only difference is that while the likes of Yoweri Museveni and Robert Mugabe are in the forefront facing the heat of their actions, Mr Peter Obi who is very crooked in all his schemings wants the puppet PDP candidate, Mr Oseleka Obaze to be holding the cow with many blames while he milks the cow from his air conditioned mansions.
What this means, is that, Mr Obi will answer an undeserved good name and be in the good book of the people as a saint he claims to be, while Mr Oseleka Obaze gets stoned in Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka.
This is what he tried to do with Gov. Willie Obiano when he demanded for N7 billion from the Governor at the expense of development in the state.
Anambra State is not on the list of states that enjoys 13 percent derivation formula. So, the N7 billion demanded from Obiano is the state’s Federal Allocation for about four months.
What this connotes is that, Anambra State workers will not get their salaries at the end of every month and pensioners will have to die before their time over endless wait.
This is the same Peter Obi who said education was not meant for the poor when he was governor of the state. As a result, he increased school fees by 150 percent. In the entire Southeast region, Anambra State under Peter Obi was the first state where poor university students started paying N150, 000 school fees for state own universities.
Throughout his tenor as governor of Anambra State, there was no local government election in the State, whereas local government allocations were released as at when due.
Crooked Peter Obi claimed he managed Anambra State resources very well, but under his heels the state was nowhere to be found in the economic ratings of Nigeria, instead it is under governor Willie Obiano that Anambra State was ranked as the fourth largest economy in Nigeria.
Therefore, a vote for Oseleka Obaze is a vote for Peter Obi’s third term agenda for the impoverishment of Anambra State.
Ibekwe Ozuruigbo writes from Abuja and can be contacted via [email protected].
Editor’s Note: This article is purely the writer’s opinion and not Business Post’s.
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