** Anambra 250 Megawatts IPP Now At 60% Completion

Chief Willie Obiano, the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance for the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State, speaks on his motivation and plan in the race, in this interview with journalists in Lagos, captured by Charles Ajunwa. Excerpts:

On his background.

Wllie Obiano is a Nigerian, who is the standard bearer of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in the forthcoming Anambra State gubernatorial election.

Willie is from Aguleri. My parents are Phillip Obiano and Christy Obiano, my father is late and my mother is still alive doing her business in Onitsha.

I did my primary school education at the Holy Trinity School, Onitsha; my WASC and HSC at Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha. I won the John F. Kennedy Essay in 1979.

I was the best Corps member where I served in Benue State. Last year in Houston, I received the Best of Africa Distinguished Banker of the year 2012 award by US-Africa. One can go on and on demonstrating that by the grace of God, one strives to be the best wherever one finds himself through dint of hard work, commitment and by remaining focused at all times.

My first degree in Accounting was at the University of Lagos and the second, MBA, Marketing was at UNILAG.

On his professional progress.

I started work with First Bank and was there for 16 months before I joined Texaco Nigeria as a senior accountant.
I worked with them for over nine years. I was promoted to the Chief Internal Auditor of the firm in my third year with the company, with expertise in refineries and bunkering audit.

I was the first black man to occupy that position, which was challenging and required a measure of expertise and skills.

This is the type of experience I had before I was invited to join Fidelity Bank Plc where I worked for 23 years with nine years as Executive Director in charge of Business Banking as the number two man.

I am happy that I was part of the team that made Fidelity Bank Plc what it is today. I have the orientation of seeing whatever assignment I am saddled with as an opportunity to prove my mettle.

Today, I am vying for the governorship of Anambra State with the same zeal – to serve my people, contribute to the development of our state and help in advancing the course of civilisation.

As a Chartered Accountant for over 23 years now and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, as one who had managed money and human beings, without being found wanting, I understand what governing a state is all about. I will bring all my experience to bear in administering and serving Anambra people.

On what motivated him to join the governorship race.

The motivation was not to succeed Governor Peter Obi per se, but to contribute to the development of my people.

I think it was the philosopher, Plato, that said when the wise people refuse to partake in the governance of the people, the unwise will occupy the space.

When they do, they end up inflicting pain on the society and themselves. Mr. Peter Obi has taught all of us that good people are needed to take charge and rescue the society from wolves masquerading as leaders. Governor Obi has done this successfully.

As the Anglican Bishop of Amichi, a man without cant, said at a recent gathering, anybody who says that Obi has not worked is a blatant liar. What we need is another cool-headed person, who understands the nuisances of governance to take over from him.

This essentially motivated me to seek to become governor. Cast your eyes on the pedigree of some of us prancing all over the place to govern the state and you will discover that some of them are merely undertakers that will just cheerfully lead the state to her grave.

I am sure nobody wishes such a tragedy for the state and this is why I said no, we cannot all stay aloof and allow those that do not even have the capacity to manage themselves to take care of our destiny.

On his strategy for victory.

You know as much as I do, those strategies, whether at war or in peace time, are unveiled at the right time.

Students of strategy will readily talk about elements of surprise. It is not what one will unveil on the pages of newspapers because it is part of one’s unique selling point. Strategy is part of your blueprint, making it public at this time is not politically good, but as we proceed in the campaign you will see and feel it.

You do not give your opponent an advantage to steal or copy what will stand you out as a good candidate. Remember the debates and all that are still coming.

On Governor Peter Obi’s excellent example.

Let me say it that Igbos are excited because they are emotional about our party, APGA. If you ask me, I will tell you that Anambra people are already mobilised by the achievements of Governor Obi.

The evidence of what Governor Obi did to fix the state is everywhere. So Anambrarians are just waiting for the D-Day to cast their votes for APGA, a party their great leader, Eze Igbo Gburugburu, late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, built and identified with until his death.

A party that has men of sterling qualities, like our chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, who is committed to the party.

With what Obi has done in Anambra State our people are now at home with what it means having people with pedigree at the helm of affairs. Before Obi, Anambra was lying fallow; today it has become the talk of the town.

From a pariah state, it has moved to a beloved state. This is why we preach continuity. Therefore, part of our strategy now is to tell our people the truth about the need to get another good man who is untainted by his past to take over from the governor.

On his political pedigree.

At the risk of sounding immodest, if you investigate the past of all those contesting today, you will discover that my deputy and I remain the best in terms of academic pedigree, experience, understanding of what service to the people means. In terms of character, humility, patience, closeness to the people and other virtues that make for great leadership, I think we are unrivalled. The present governor is humility personified.

He resists all the trappings of office and does not even use sirens. Who among those contesting understands the place of those virtues in governance? These are relevant questions that should agitate the minds of our people.

So, we are going to fight in this election on the basis of, first, the performance of the APGA government in Anambra State, which is one of the best in the country.

We are also going to fight on the basis of experience, expertise and acceptability by the people.

We are well prepared academically, professionally and, above all, our contract to make the state a destination centre is as natural as nature. We are poised and determined to grow Anambra State from where it is now to a state that will become not only a tourist centre but one that Anambrarians will express joy for and be proud of as their state.

On insinuations that he is a green horn in politics.

Holding any political office in the past is not a qualification for running a business or a state. When Governor Peter Obi came on board he was actually by some people’s calculation, an unknown quantity. But you can see that he delivered more than those people saw as big names.

There are many unknown people that have come into a race such as this and surpassed all others. What is important is the background of the person coming, the professional competence, ability to drive the process, the person’s proven track record, the academic qualification, your ability to know how to access funds to continue with projects, the ability to manage relationships. I say this because before Obi became the governor no development partners were in good terms with Anambra State. It was almost war between the state and the federal government. In all this, development was undermined.

Today, the story is different and we cannot allow those responsible for this state in the past to take over and lead you and I to Armageddon again. Being a green horn is not a negative thing, what matters is the substance you carry.

On the freshness he intends to bring into governance.

Before I made up my mind to go into this, I prayed and reflected about that. I held long meetings with my spiritual director and solemnly made a commitment to my God that I am coming out to serve my people.

You can call this a period of retreat for me. Part of what I did at that time was to look critically at Anambra State.

I know the revenue base of the state. I know its present potentials and future possibilities. Armed with this, I produced a blue print which will be unveiled when we will flag off our campaign.

The leitmotif of the blueprint is continuity. I hope you are familiar with Anambra Development Strategy, which involves uniform development across all sectors? That principle is still valid and germane.

If we are working in education, for instance, we will also be doing something in health, security, infrastructure, tourism that is simultaneous with development across all local governments of the state.

The core of what we are going to do will rest on agriculture, trade and commerce and industrialisation. Of course, the enablers have been kick-started by this administration and we are going to enhance them.

On his agricultural development strategy.

In agriculture, by the time we organise the farmers into cooperatives, into a mechanised system of agriculture, introduce quality seedlings that will enhance their productivity, it will create an environment for people to start doing storage activities, which becomes an industry that will employ people.

From there you go to packaging, which is also an industry that will employ people. You also go to manufacturing which will create industry that will engage people. We will utilise the entire value chain. So agriculture will be the spring board. What is good about agriculture in Anambra State is that we have good arable land and the food basin.

As a matter of fact, our state can produce enough food that will feed the country. So we will start the process of mechanisation, get people that have done it in other places of the world like Israelis or Zimbabweans, etc, to train our people.

On the enablers.

Another enabler that helps agriculture is roads. I am happy that Governor Obi has made our work easier by building roads in strategic fashion. We shall continue in this direction. If you have good roads you can bring harvested items out of the hinterlands and all these have ripple effects. The core focus will be on agriculture, trade and commerce and industrialisation. It is around this core that you have the enablers which among them are: transportation, ICT, sea port, which is a very important aspect of industrialisation with its ripple effects on the economy, finance, and security.

I am happy the present government under Governor Obi has done so much on security. We will bring in some elements of CCTV in sensitive areas to help in investigation of crimes.

There is the area of health care, we shall not be thinking about building a teaching hospital, which Obi has done. We shall move on from where he will stop with active involvement of those elements that made him succeed.

We will ensure there is power.
There is an arrangement already for Nnewi, Onitsha, and Awka areas. There is also this 250 megawatts that His Excellency has commenced major work on, committed hundreds of millions, which I understand is 60 per cent done.
We are going to complete it.

Of course, the environment is critical and we are going to continue the work that has been done in containing erosion.
The 70/50 locations that have been mapped out by both the state government and international agencies, we will work on them. And such money does not come from monthly allocations of government, rather they are projects that are done through a structured approach with donor agencies and international organisations.

Since Obi is already working with some of them, we shall strive to keep the relationship afloat, while seeking new partners through robust outreach programmes.

On Jobs

In terms of job creation, I can tell you that it is driven by the private sector and all they need is an enabling environment. In my survey of Anambra to understand the socio-economic realities on ground, I came across new companies attracted by Governor Obi. Further inquiry shows that by his character, he inspires confidence in people and we intend to toe the same line.
Anambrarians that are out of job is 12.5 percent, if you go by the documented 4.7 million people in the state, which I don’t agree with. The current estimate of Anambra population is about 7.5 million people. But let’s use the one documented, the 12.5 percent of it and we are talking about is slightly above 500, 000 unemployed youths.

With this statistics, I know that we must continue to encourage investors, as Obi is doing, to build their facilities in the state and offer jobs to our people.

On housing.

In the past, most of our ministries were scattered all over the state as our civil servants live outside Awka, some in Enugu and the neighbouring towns. We shall start by doing 500, 000 housing units every year in the next four years, plus other things that business partners are in a position to do.

On food security

There will be surplus food for our people, at least the basic staple foods; we will be self-sufficient in them.

There will be high Gross Domestic Product, which will help donor agencies in assessing us and being in a position to give money for certain projects. When the donor agencies see that you are doing well, they will be willing to give you money because they will know their money will be utilised very well.

On transparency.

With the transparency in the current administration, the transparency we will exhibit when we come in and the contacts that we already have, ours will be a walkover.

I am sure you are aware that during the N25 billion saga of banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank was able to raise N130 billion when so many banks could not raise N25 billion. You don’t just raise that kind of money if you don’t have the expertise that enabled us to acquire two banks – Manny and FSB banks.

I am only using this example to show you that I have been part of building successful industries and will transmute the same in the governance of the state.

On insinuations that he got the APGA governorship ticket because he is Obi’s political godson.

Let me make it clear, tongue-in-check, that I am older than the governor, so I cannot be his godson (laughs)

But on a serious note, I have heard such comments and my response to it is to let them know who I am, that I am a tested technocrat with proven track record in established places, both nationally and internationally. Without sounding immodest, I am a big masquerade and, therefore, cannot be anybody’s godson. I am a man of myself, I know what to do.
What you are saying will be relevant if I am a nobody, with no intellect, no pedigree. But as we say in Igbo language, I am an Ijele (a big masquerade).

Again, I can even answer you differently. Peter Obi is a character deserving applaud for representing what I call positive attributes of being.

It is not in his character to nurse godsons. You know what godfathers and sons do – the going to the shrine, the signing of agreements, among others. Governor Peter Obi that we know is alien to those nonsense.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/willie-obiano-i-ll-serve-anambra-with-the-zeal-that-propelled-my-professional-progress/160188/

APGA has become an appendage of the killer-party.

Obiano for good 8 years no shaking

We didn't hear when the IPP power plant was started only to hear it has reached 60% completion. Pleasant surprise if the report is true.

Ngige all the way. Anambra say NO to Fidelity Bank.

egift: Ngige all the way. Anambra say NO to Fidelity Bank.

Obiano all the way. Anambra say NO to Tinubu's houseboy, Ngige. Say NO to Lagos district officer, Ngige.

chidindufrank: Obiano for good 8 years no shaking

You don't love your State. Don't tell me you are happy with the way things are at the moment.

Meanwhile, if we'r to use Fidelity Bank as a measure of SUCCESS, then every state in Nigeria would like to be as successful as Fidelity Bank.

egift: Ngige all the way. Anambra say NO to Fidelity Bank.

fool don't you just face your southwest. We prefer Fidelity bank than Tinubu bank.

Abagworo:

You don't love your State. Don't tell me you are happy with the way things are at the moment.

Do you know how the state was in 2006 when Peter Obi came to power? We should compare what WAS with what IS. Peter failed in some areas but he also did well in many areas. Peter Obi's successor will continue from where he stopped.

Lets do an experiment. Close your eyes to the names and political parties of the major candidates, then assess their INDIVIDUAL track records and credentials and tell us who we should vote on MERIT. I'm waiting for your response.

egift: Ngige all the way. Anambra say NO to Fidelity Bank.

chris tunde ngige, the first gubernatorial aspirant to visit okija shrine

I wish everyone observed that this man is making his case as an intellectual. Using facts and illustrations, telling us his plans from what is and what future he hopes. THIS IS ONE WHO HAS WHAT TO OFFER. Now we can make our judgment of him.
on the contrary we see another man NGIGE who rather than make us see why he is the best man for the job, resorts to market women backbiting and slander. Pls Dr learn from Obiano.
long live Anambra
long live APGA
long live P. Obi.

say no to dwellers of past glory
say no to betrayal
say no to slanderer
say no to dump who could not sponsor a bill......he is clueless.

but ngige would be a good administrator going by what he did in anambra state for just 2 and some months.

Sincere 9gerian: We didn't hear when the IPP power plant was started only to hear it has reached 60% completion. Pleasant surprise if the report is true.

hundreds of millions spent, 250 megawatts, 60% completion. Believe this and believe anything. I smell fraud and obiano is not going anywhere

Abagworo:

You don't love your State. Don't tell me you are happy with the way things are at the moment.

Ngige is like a painted tomb. We all witnessed his magu magu in 2003 when he and his Ndi bee Uba stole the mandate we gave to Mazi Peter Obi. Obiano has a sound management record and would do 10 times better than Obi because his job would be more on maintenance of the existing developmental structures that Obi has put in place. Anambra has many great cities such as Awka,Onisha,Nnewi,and Ekwulobia just to mention but a few.So is not a state like yours where you paint the capital city just to coin peoples mind that you are a performer. To govern Anambra is not a job for men with questionable characters like Ngige and co.

chidindufrank: Ngige is like a painted tomb. We all witnessed his magu magu in 2003 when he and his Ndi bee Uba stole the mandate we gave to Mazi Peter Obi. Obiano has a sound management record and would do 10 times better than Obi because his job would be more on maintenance of the existing developmental structures that Obi has put in place. Anambra has many great cities such as Awka,Onisha,Nnewi,and Ekwulobia just to mention but a few.So is not a state like yours where you paint the capital city just to coin peoples mind that you are a performer. To govern Anambra is not a job for men with questionable characters like Ngige and co.

kindly list the developmental structures put in place by Peter obi.

Ijele sounds yoruba. Is anambra now yoruba. Defend yourselves. Anambara borrows too much culture from edo and yoruba. Why is this?

Dibiachukwu: Ijele sounds yoruba. Is anambra now yoruba. Defend yourselves. Anambara borrows too much culture from edo and yoruba. Why is this?

here is another lost son of ours. Though your comment is off topic, I will clear u. Ijele means big masquerade in igbo.
now what does it mean in Yoruba / Edo?
even if it has a meaning, why don't u think it was borrowed from us?
its u ppl that go about undermining our great heritage.
u need to be more igboious and protect our interest.

chidindufrank: Ngige is like a painted tomb. We all witnessed his magu magu in 2003 when he and his Ndi bee Uba stole the mandate we gave to Mazi Peter Obi. Obiano has a sound management record and would do 10 times better than Obi because his job would be more on maintenance of the existing developmental structures that Obi has put in place. Anambra has many great cities such as Awka,Onisha,Nnewi,and Ekwulobia just to mention but a few.So is not a state like yours where you paint the capital city just to coin peoples mind that you are a performer. To govern Anambra is not a job for men with questionable characters like Ngige and co.

Help me tell that clown who thinks that development is all about planting of grass on the shabby road that were done 30years ago. The clueless Rochas has hung huge debt on the state with nothing on the ground to show for all the waste and jamboree governance.

Nigerian movie:

here is another lost son of ours. Though your comment is off topic, I will clear u. Ijele means big masquerade in igbo.
now what does it mean in Yoruba / Edo?
even if it has a meaning, why don't u think it was borrowed from us?
its u ppl that go about undermining our great heritage.
u need to be more igboious and protect our interest.

Which is the big (ije or ile), and which one is masquarade (le or ije). I don't believe you!

The man has what it takes simple. non of the aspirants can ever become an accounting officer in Texaco . Its not for dullards .

Dibiachukwu:
Which is the big (ije or ile), and which one is masquarade (le or ije). I don't believe you!

Well,Ijele is a famous masqurade the Igbo bear which originated from the core Omanbala areas. Its a stupendous masqurade that wow people when it comes out. Its attributed to greatness and might. There is a phrase in Anambra that says "Ijele na nmuo ada agba",meaning,the Ijele doesn't share a field with any masqurade. I doubt you are Igbo,though.

His VC is unchallengeable and he sound intellectual on like Chris Tunde Ngige that his only campaign strategy is backing like market women.
He build few roads before "and so what"?

Obiano is more than qualified to lead Anambra and he has a good reputation; Biko Chineke nulu onu Umu-Omanbala ka ndi ilo ghali inu ayi.
Ngige will ruin Anambra if elected;The man is as clueless as Rochas and he will destroy Obi's work just to paint him bad. I have this feeling that my beloved Anambra is on the road to greatness but we must stop the yoruba servant,in the person of Ngige.

Ana Nri ekwekwana ka ndi ofenmanu jilu ayi mee ife amu.....Ana Nri chebe Obi,Obiano na Umu-Omanbala...Iseee!

Odenigbo Aroli:

Well,Ijele is a famous masqurade the Igbo bear which originated from the core Omanbala areas. Its a stupendous masqurade that wow people when it comes out. Its attributed to greatness and might. There is a phrase in Anambra that says "Ijele na nmuo ada agba",meaning,the Ijele doesn't share a field with any masqurade. I doubt you are Igbo,though.

Dude Ijele (probably yoruba) is just like ekpo(ibom). Both are foreign to Igbo but have gained prominence from treachery.

Anambra can never forget where they came from,we have a deep connection with the land i guess no body can go against the land//Ana etieee gi igba

Odenigbo Aroli: Obiano is more than qualified to lead Anambra and he has a good reputation; Biko Chineke nulu onu Umu-Omanbala ka ndi ilo ghali inu ayi.
Ngige will ruin Anambra if elected;The man is as clueless as Rochas and he will destroy Obi's work just to paint him bad. I have this feeling that my beloved Anambra is on the road to greatness but we must stop the yoruba servant,in the person of Ngige.

Ana Nri ekwekwana ka ndi ofenmanu jilu ayi mee ife amu.....Ana Nri chebe Obi,Obiano na Umu-Omanbala...Iseee!

Nwanne kedu nke ana etu gi? Dalu rinne..

We will never ever allow an Ngige who in most cases is as clownish and clueless as Okorocha. Chineke ekwena ajo ife.

gratiaeo: His VC is unchallengeable and he sound intellectual on like Chris Tunde Ngige that his only campaign strategy is backing like market women.
He build few roads before "and so what"?

Guy,I went to an Umuoji facebook page and it seeems like everybody is rooting for Ngige and that got me scared. I think Ngige will do well in Idenmili but Obiano will triumph,however,it will be a tight game.
Obiano really have an impressive blueprint and I pray that God will see him through. I can't wait for Nov. 16th.

I can't wait for the said debate,that's if Ngige will not chicken out.

Dibiachukwu:
Dude Ijele (probably yoruba) is just like ekpo(ibom). Both are foreign to Igbo but have gained prominence from treachery.

Who is this stupid fellow?
why cant you unmarsk yourself and show your real name, Baderinwa OLANIYI.
Dont you know that a word in your language can have another meaning in another language? just as your real surname "OLANIYI" in yoruba, means "USELESS" in igbo.