‘I am sorry for my vituperations against you’— Nze Goddy Ezebuiro begs Obinna Oriaku

A unionist, Nze Goddy Ezebuiro has tendered is unreserved apology to Abia Former Commissioner for Finance, Obinna Oriaku for his vituperations against him.

This was contained in a long epistle tagged “Nze Goddy Ezebuiro: I am sorry for my vituperations against you (Obinna Oriaku) and made available to media houses.

According to him, “To err is human and to forgive, they say, is divine. Honestly, I care less about the perception of people about me and what I am doing now, as long as my conscience is, after all, cleared.”

He said he was one of those who erroneously vilified Mr Oriaku for some reasons predicated on blackmail and misinformation.

“For example, I had this impression that you Mr Obinna oriaku was actually responsible for the delay in salary payments. Infact, as a unionist, I was tacitly aligned to the spurious allegations that obinna was an avid enemy of the civil servants.”

“However, as the days roll by, I have rather realised that I was wrong. What suffices then was a faulty system which needed some sort of surgery or complete overhaul /rejigging”.

Speaking further, “Obinna and few others were at the forefront of the restructuring the rotten system perhaps, because of his experiences, in the public sector, drawn overtime from his managerial position in the banking industry and having served under two past administrations while in Enugu State (Chimaroke and Sulivan).”

“Take the case of FAAC allocation, for instance, I was to learn later that what seem to have changed is that the Federal Government chose, through the intervention of Forum of Commissioners of Finance in April 2019 and others in the FAAC committee then, pleaded with the Federal Government to adjust the date of FAAC disbursement earlier than what it used to, this is to enable the salaries paid early. That request was granted as date changed backwards from 26th to 17th of every month when Obinna had just exited the Government in May 2019.”

“Even with that favourable adjustments, workers will still not receive their salaries till, at times, the first week of the new month. Why? Because the govt sooner than FAAC arrives uses the receipt to pay down their indebtedness and thereafter resort to TOD for sustenance. Thereby exposinig the state to perpetual borrowing which he worked very hard to stop.”

“Currently, the state has, surreptitiously, plunged itself into huge debt burden that only God knows how the debts will be paid as the momentary relief of those financial decisions were not sustained. Today, we are not sure which date the salaries will come.”

“There are, honestly, no basis of comparison between Obinna Oriaku as commissioner of finance then and now. How can we possibly draw that comparison without biting our tongues. A man who we learnt worked without salaries for the
4 years from Abia State government as his bank First bank paid him for the services to Abia State. Hon Obinna Oriaku was wrongly and deliberately painted black by many who felt he blocked them from continued raping of the state. He stopped unjustifiable allowances and incentives. Consider the astronomical jerk in Faac allowance as we learnt went from paltry N500,000 to a whopping N1.6m naira monthly which was reintroduced immediately he left government.”

“Obinna, I am really sorry and I hope you will find a place in your heart to forgive me. I have now realised, like what you used to say, that our state needs a fundamentally systemic, deliberate and conscientious paradigm change which is a product of sacrifice,sacrifice and sacrifice!”

The Unionist said, “No government can thrive without a deliberate fiscal policy that will inturn engender the culture of discipline and frugality. That sacrifice was what Obinna championed, alongside the late Chief of staff(Chijioke Nwakodo) the Governor and few others. But sadly, the real naysayers (the acclaimed owners of the state) and those who see Abia resources as their personal property would not hear of it not the less allow it to be sustained. All the reforms introduced then have all been reversed especially in salary management. Fraudulent workers are happy and excited they are back to Egypt. (padding)”

“Thank God that you are even alive today, may be, like the late COS, you would have long gone and done with! God forbid.”

“With the current revelation, you have been vindicated my brother. When I look at the intractable Osisioma interchange, the Ururuka road shamfaced projects and your spirited efforts to advance those projects even with a more leaner inflow. I can only but say that I am sorry!”

“I have realised that you were truly not as bad as you were painted. You ensured prioritization of the funds and that money was set aside for capital projects.”

“After all 95% of the acclaimed" 97 delivered roads "where all done during his time as Commissioner of Finance.”

“While a few of those in Government feed fat on the Commonwealth, others go hungry. The gap is wider now! The "thieving" is now more reckless and manifest!”

“The other day, in our Union session, I was forced to ask my colleagues, " I thought Obinna was the problem ,so how come the entire health workers are not being paid and outstanding months gap have grown compared to when Obinna was there. months outstanding salaries of these are now ABSUTH 24 Months. Secondary School Teachers 15 months Primary school Teacher 7 months including half salary, Abiapoly 26 Months, Collage of Education Technical Aro- Chukwu 27 months, State Pension 24 months with 4 months paid as half and others are still pilling up. Of course, my guess is as good as theirs.”

“With every sense of honesty, I hereby withdraw every written or verbal tantrum, I sponsored or personally wrote,against you (Obinna Oriaku).”

“Obinna's only sin, that I know, is that he courageously stood against a beligerent and warped system which is uncommon in Abia State.”

“It has been proven that Obinna dared to challenge the cabals (The Azikiwe Dynasty) without due deference to their capacity and weight which has been the bean of our problem as a State where sycophancy is elevated to high heaven.”

“I enjoin all well meaning Abians, home and abroad, to join Obinna (the man who saw tomorrow) to condemn, in it's entirety, this provocative version of democracy, of a few by a few and for a family. Democracy of deceit and self conceit. Otherwise, before 2023, what will remain of Abia would be a horrific carcass of a confiscated Commonwealth.”

“Nze Godfrey Ezebuiro writes from Umuahia.”