By Valentine Amanze
The people of Umubi in Nnewi South Local Area of Anambra State are still in shock on why the state Governor, Chief Willy Obiano, shunned their invitation to attend the 2018 Unubi Mass Return/launching of the N250 million Ultra Modern City Centre and Hospital project in Unubi.
The governor neither sent a representative nor gave reason for his absence even though his wife was from the community.
The absence of Obiano fuelled the speculations of ‘tactically avoiding the community due to failed promises’.
But the event was put alive again when his predecessor and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Vice Presidential hopeful, Mr. Peter Obi, arrived as the special guest.
Obi, who rued the level of decay on infrastructure he left behind in the state, however promised to ensure that every community feels government presence if the PDP returns to power in the coming elections.
He also assured that more rural areas would be opened up for investors to create jobs for the unemployed to check rural-urban drift if the PDP returns to power.
At the five-day event, which held at Boys Secondary School, Unubi, Obi further said that it was regrettable that almost all the on-going rural road projects he started were abandoned by his successor.
Former Governor Obi lamented that of all the seven communities visited on the course of his 2019 electioneering, all the rural road projects initiated by his administration to open up communities for development had been abandoned.
“Government and governance is a continuous thing,” Obi said, adding, “Somebody had told me that the jobs we started were never completed. I discovered on the course of our visit that road projects we had started in seven communities when we were in office were abandoned where we stopped them. This shouldn’t be.
“I promise people of Unubi that we will remember you when we get into office.”
Obi who received ‘Excellent and Exemplary Leadership” award from the traditional ruler of Unubi, Igwe Francis Nnajiego (Igwe Ohazulume 1), for rural transformation stride, pledged to ensure that every community enjoys equal dividends of democracy in the coming dispensation.
Presenting the award, Igwe Francis Nnajiego prayed God to grant the former governor, Nigerian leaders and others aspiring to be voted into different positions at local, state and federal level the genuine desire to serve Nigerians without biasness. Other sons and daughters of Unubi honoured during the 2018 Mass Return include, the Queen and leader of the famous Egedege Cultural Troupe, Theresa Onuora, friends and well wishers of the community and industrialists.
