AWKA—Dr. Willie Obiano and Dr. Nkamakonam Okeke were yesterday,
sworn in as governor and deputy governor of Anambra State respectively
with a pledge to tackle headlong the perennial problems of power
failure and insecurity which they identified as the biggest constraints
to the full manifestation of the ingenuity for which Anambra people
were known.
Chief Judge on court order
This was even as the
state Chief Judge, Justice Peter Umeadi, denied ever flouting any court
order by swearing them into office.
However, the Special Adviser
to the President on Inter-Party Matters, Chief Ben Obihas announced the
appointment of former Governor Obi, as the honourary Adviser on
Finance to President Goodluck Jonathan and would soon become a member
of the Federal Executive Council, FEC.
Society’s enduring virtues
of love, unity and brotherhood were some of the central themes that
dominated the inaugural address of the new Governor, Obiano after
taking the oath of office, in an elaborate ceremony in Awka, the
Anambra State capital.
Tackling challenges
At the colourful ceremony held at Dr. Alex
Ekwueme Square, Awka and attended by eminent personalities from Anambra
and beyond, Obiano said that the realisation of his dreams for Anambra
State depends on how well these two challenges were tackled.
He
said: “The good news is that there is hope for Anambra State. We shall
aggressively address the challenge of power supply with the proposed
citing of ultra-modern Independent Power Plants, IPP, in the three
industrial hubs in the state, especially, in Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka.
When fully operational, these plants will generate enough electricity
to power the entrepreneurial dreams of our people.”
On security
In the area of security, he said: “Anambra will be different under my
watch. Not only shall we redraft the operational manual of the entire
security apparatchik to ensure a lightening-quick response, we shall
also re-orientate our people to see that every citizen has a role to
play in the security of our communities. The concept of community
policing or what is better known as the Vigilante Groups, has worked
well in Anambra State.
“The next challenge however is to
re-train, re-equip and refocus them to meet the dynamics of our time.
Along the same line, we will strengthen the police and other law
enforcement agencies in the state to enhance their efficiency and
response rate to distress calls.”
Clamour for capital city
Obiano also said that his government would address the long clamour by
Anambra people for a capital city “that fully reflects the essence of
our people,” adding that Awka would be re-designed and remodeled to
meet the structural and aesthetic requirements of a 21st Century city
that the people would be proud off.
Apart from these, he also said that his government would faithfully implement the master plans of Onitsha and Nnewi.
He listed other priorities of his government to include aggressive
mechanised agriculture, oil and gas development, trade and commerce and
industrialisation.
Eulogises Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu
While paying
a glowing tribute to the late APGA leader and Ikemba Nnewi, Dim
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu for building a new political ark for
Ndigbo, Obiano also expressed gratitude to the people of Anmabra for
the overwhelming support they gave to him during the last gubernatorial
poll.
President Jonathan, who was represented at the occasion by
his Adviser on inter party matters, Chief Obi, said he had enjoyed the
support of the former governor and assured that “he remains my
honourary adviser on Finance.
“Sooner or later Peter Obi will be a member of the Federal Executive Council,” the president said.
Earlier
in his valedictory speech, former governor Obi had described the
transition as historic pointing out that since the creation of both old
and new Anambra State, “no governor has handed over to anybody.”
Obi speaks
His words: “Chief Jim Nwobodo did not hand over to Chief Christian Onoh
(in the Second Republic); Chukwuemeka Ezeife did not hand over to Dr.
Chinwoke Mbadinuju; Mbadinuju did not hand over to Dr. Chris Ngige and
Ngige was not available the day I took my oath of office.’’
He
also claimed that when he ‘’was sworn in, Anambra did not have the
Governor’s Office, there was no Governor’s Lodge. When I was sworn in,
I came with my car but today as we leave here after the new Governor
has been sworn in, he will move in a brand new Governor’s car and he
will move into a Governor’s Lodge.
Anambra State has returned to
the path of peace and progress because when we started the journey all
of us knew what it was but today, we can say we have a state.”
He
denied entering into any pact with Obiano, advising his successor to
give priority attention to the future of the youths in the state.
Roll call
The inauguration ceremony was attended by eminent personalities
including former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Azubuike Ihejirila, rtd,
Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia State, Special Adviser to the President on
Inter-Party Affairs, Sen. Ben Obi, GOC 82 Div, Major Gen. S. Yusuf,
APGA National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, Business mogul, Prince
Arthur Eze, Sir Emeka Offor, wives of Delta and Cross River State
Governors, Roli Uduaghan and Obioma Imoke, Nigerian Ambassador to
Spain, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu and APC Chieftain, Chief Annie Okonkwo.
Meanwhile,
the state Chief Judge, Justice Umeadi, has denied ever flouting an
alleged court order restraining him from swearing in Obiano as governor
of the state.
In a statement signed on his behalf by the Chief
Registrar, N. D. Ezeani, yesterday, after the swearing in ceremony,
Justice Umeadi noted that there was a suit seeking a mandatory
injunction to stop him from swearing in Obiano and Okeke yesterday, but
that the suit had not yet been determined.
He noted that from the
numerous legal authorities listed in the publications, wondering
whether the plaintiff would still achieve the purport of his reliefs
if he continued with his suit.
The suit
Dr. Chike Obidigbo
had in a suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/118/2014, asked the Federal High Court,
Abuja for an injunction restraining the swearing in of Obiano and his
deputy yesterday.
Joined in the suit were the factional Chairman of APGA, Chief Maxi Okwu, APGA, INEC and Chief Judge of Anambra State.
Umeadi,
however, observed that he would obey all orders of court on matters
which come to his notice, even as he would not evade service of any
court process.
He said he would equally allow access even where it
is to be served on him personally, adding that even where he is absent
and the court process is received in his chambers, it would certainly
come to his notice and he would abide by same.
Umeadi further
said that there was nothing to show that injunction was granted against
him on the matter as none was served on him, adding that he was a
nominal party in the said suit.
Chief Obiano, ex-banker and
technocrat who won the November 16, and run off election on November
30, 2014 on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA,
took over from the immediate past governor, Mr. Peter Obi whose two
tenures of eights were been largely described as successful
In a
highly inspiring address titled, Expanding the Frontiers of Excellence;
Obiano who is the fourth democratically elected governor of Anambra
State sought to rouse the consciousness of Ndi Anambra by reminding
them of the Igbo industry and ingenuity when he said: “A people who
astonished the world with their ingenuity and resourcefulness during
wartime can lend a weighty hand to efforts to re-make our world in
peace-time.”
