The Media Aide to Mr. Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Valentine Obienyem has debunked the story credited to the National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh that Mr. Peter Obi is the Coordinator of Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN).
In a release made available to the Press yesterday, Obienyem said that the rally organized by TAN, a non governmental organization, in Anambra State on Saturday was not even a political event, but a platform used to tell President Goodluck Jonathan that he has done well for the South-East and call on him to continue by seeking a re-election.
Obienyem said, many stakeholders in the South-East, including the Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, Chief Theodore Orji; the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Oseloka Obaze; Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim Pius; the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo; members of the Senate and House of Representatives from the South-East, among others were all present to share the occasion.
He said nobody mentioned Peter Obi as being the Coordinator and that it beats the imagination were Chief Umeh got his facts.
The former Governor's aide said further: “For the avoidance of doubt, Obi is not a member of TAN such that being the Coordinator should not have arisen. Obi made it clear that the one project he has now is to campaign vigorously for the re-election of president Goodluck Jonathan and he does not hide that. This is in consonance with the stand of his Party, APGA, that its members should support President Goodluck Jonathan. In supporting him, Obi is not after personal gain, but is concerned with electing somebody who will continue and complete many of the on-going projects in the South-East, including the roads, the international terminal at Akanu Ibiam Airport, the Second Niger Bridge, the many erosion sites, the power plants, among others”
Obienyem stressed that Nigerians were aware of Obi’s antecedents, maintained that no amount of blackmail, will prevent them from knowing and appreciating the truth.
Obienyem also wondered why Obi’s resignation as APGA BoT Chairman and Leader Designate should elicit cathartic reaction from some people, even when he is still a member of APGA. “Resignation could mean that he is not comfortable being associated with posts yet to be confirmed. It could be that he wants to allow the leaders of APGA to choose a person better than him. It could be that he needed more time for other engagements.