By Valentine Amanze
Mr. Valentine Obienyem, the media aide to Anambra State former governor, Peter Obi, has carpeted the state governor, Willy Obiano, for saying that Obi demanded N7 billion from him.
Obienyem described Obiano’s claim as “a desperate ranting from a man not sure of his survival and is busy clutching at the straw.”
Obi’s aide recalled how, on December 23, 2016, how Obiano, for the first time since becoming governor, visited Obi with a Bishop and said that he had come to beg Obi to forgive him all the wrongs he had done to him and to help him win a re-election. Obienyem further stated: “Obi asked him (Obiano) about the claim that he requested N7 billion from him, whereupon Obiano said said that he never said so and that it was his aides and Chief Joe Martin Uzodike that did.”
According to Obienyem, it was left for the bishop and many others that have followed the falsehood to gauge the character of a man entrusted into such a high position.
His words: “It is unimaginable and unthinkable that Obi would leave $156 million, N25 billion in local currency and another N23. 6 billion set aside funds in local currency for Obiano and be demanding N7 billion from him even when he had five months before hand-over to take the money and still have plenty to hand over to him.
“Our governor has made himself a laughing stock. How can he be soaking himself in lies? The other day, he said that he exported $5 million worth of Ugu (pumpkin), exported Onugbu (bitterleave), rice and have orders to export 10 million tubers of yam even when Anambra buys yam from other states, and wants to be taking seriously?”
Besides, Obienyem called on Obiano to account for the over N400 billion he has received, including the N7 billion he refused to pay to Obi.
He said that now election was near and Anambra people were asking him to tell them what he has done, he is busy diverting attention by inventing lies. “Let Obiano show schedule of debt he claimed Obi owed,” he said, wondering “how a man who calls himself an accountant would include unexecuted contracts as debt?”
