An Anambra based stakeholders forum have accused Mrs. Ebele Obiano, wife of the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, of suppressing her husband throughout his eight year tenure in office.
According to the group known as “Anambra North Elders For Good Governance and Quality Representation”, Ebele, now candidate for Anambra North Senatorial District under the State’s ruling All Progressive’s Grand Alliance (APGA), abrogated the State’s authority to herself thereby becoming the De Facto governor of the state.
The group, while reacting to an article credited to one “Chinedu Obigwe”, alleged that the former first Lady inebriated the former Anambra Governor in order to hold sway.
The group alleged Mrs. Obiano of financial misappropriation which were committed while she appropriated to herself all Executive powers and by so doing, ensuring that all government functionaries were beholden to her.
In a statement issued after its meeting on Wednesday the group described the said writer “Chinedu Obigwe” as an attack dog used by Mrs. Ebele Obiano against personalities in the state whom she perceived as enemies.
They further unveiled a long list of personalities in state penciled down to be ruined by campaign of calumny as instigated by Mrs. Obiano among them include her fellow Anambra North contestant and Senator representing Anambra North, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah OON.
According to the statement titled “Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano: “An Unkind Joke Taken Too Far! Signed by the group’s secretary Chief Osita Ofojebe , Chinedu’s article would have been ignored noting that ordinarily, it deserves no response owing to the character it pretends to support but it is necessary to draw their attention to facts that are still fresh in their minds by reason of the lackluster years of the Obiano’s
From allegedly selling off the State owned lands, issuing Government contracts, tampering with local government funds, receiving state revenues among others the group narrated how the former first lady heralded the mal administration witnessed under Governor Obiano’s administration.
The statement read partly; ” It is no longer news that for the 8 years Willie Obiano was governor, Mrs. Obiano was actually the de facto governor of Anambra State and she seamlessly achieved this by ensuring that her weak husband was always inebriated”.
“She deployed this unsavoury strategy of keeping him constantly inebriated to completely assume the de facto position of governor because with time, people began to realize that her husband was not only too weak but that she was in fact, the power behind the throne.
“After successfully ensuring that her husband was looked upon like a weakling, Mrs. Obiano then proceeded to appropriate to herself all Executive powers and by so doing, ensuring that all government functionaries were beholden to her.
“It was not uncommon to see contractors, commissioners and anyone desirous of getting favors from government, reaching out to her
“With the full powers of the Executive office safely tucked into her hands, Mrs. Obiano would then proceed to appropriate anything and anything within sight which explains why she had her hands on every land deal, every local government monthly allocation, every contract and any deal that brought money to the table.
“Mrs. Obiano was that first lady who was superintendent over the sale of the trans nkisi lands by demanding 50% which were paid directly into her account.
“She also directly dipped her greedy hands into the monthly local government allocations and perfected this by personally ensuring that she installed stooges who were beholden and amenable to her greedy disposition.
On her political aspiration the group cautioned Ebele to desist from sponsoring attacks on perceived opponents .The Elders described her Senatorial ambition as an affront to the people of Anambra North as they have not forgotten the dark roles she played during her husband’s tenure as Governor of the state.
The Elders also said that Ebele’s uncultured attitude was confirmed during the altercation between Ebele Obiano and the wife of former Biafran warlord, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu when the former led and unprovoked attack on the latter during the inauguration of Prof. Soludo as the 6th democratically elected Governor of the state on Thursday, March 17, 2022.”
They urged the kinsmen of “Omambala ” where Ebele hails from to quit the unsolicited attacks on personalities especially Senator Stella Oduah whom they described as a performing lawmaker and highly favoured to win the next election.
According to the group in the history of legislative representation in Anambra North, Omambala has had the most senators but there has never been a time, Onitsha North, Onitsha South or Ogbaru, openly conspired against their interest the way some in their fold are now busy conspiring against them.
