The
Initiative for Change Organization (ICO), a civil society and democracy
watch group has alerted the general public of a highly organized and
well-funded campaign being sponsored against the person of the governor
of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, by some disgruntled politicians
in the Anambra State chapter of the PDP.
In
a Press Statement issued at the weekend the group claimed that it had
uncovered a massive smear campaign worth N100m sponsored by some PDP
elements in the state to discredit all the great achievements of
Governor Willie Obiano and incite the Presidency against him.
The
statement which was signed by the President of the Group, Dr. Jideofor
Igboamaka, maintains that the campaign which is being handled by a
Lagos-based communications agency was intended to portray Governor
Obiano as working against the re-election of President Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan.
“After
closely monitoring the activities of this group, we now have some
incontrovertible evidence of the publicity materials they want to
publish in some leading newspapers in order to incite the Presidency
against the governor of Anambra State,” the statement said, further
pointing out that the calumny campaigners have leveled many spurious
charges against Governor Obiano.
According
to the statement, “Our media monitoring wing has intercepted some of
their campaign materials. We are dismayed that all the charges they are
leveling against Governor Obiano are not only outlandish and incredulous
but offer a deep insight on how low these people are willing to descend
in order to discredit Governor Obiano
“The
central point of their allegation is that Governor Obiano is working
against President Jonathan and supporting General Buhari. How can anyone
believe that? It is on record that Governor Obiano is one of the first
governors to publicly endorse President Jonathan’s Second Term bid. That
was even long before most PDP governors began to lend their support to
Mr. President. Again, as the Chairman of APGA Board of Trustees and
National Leader, Governor Obiano led the party to adopt President
Goodluck Jonathan as the party’s candidate in the coming Presidential
election. These records are there. So; how can anyone now begin to make
the spurious claims that Governor Obiano is working for General Buhari?”
the group queried.
The
Initiative for Change Organization (ICO) also pooh-poohed the charge
that Governor Obiano was supporting Dr. Chris Ngige’s senatorial
campaign describing it as “illusionary and diversionary,” pointing out
that the governor’s forthrightness on political matters was common
knowledge.
“With
Governor Obiano, you know where you stand on any issue at any time. We
have monitored his performance in the past one year and we can assure
Nigerians that Governor Obiano never says what he does not mean. So, the
group’s claim that he is secretly supporting Dr. Chris Ngige is both
illusionary and diversionary. It is a poorly thought out campaign that
has failed woefully even before it takes off,” the statement argued.
Linking
the impending campaign with part of the efforts by the opposition to
distract the governor from his good works in the state, the Initiative
for Change Organization however warned that it would not hesitate to
blow the whistle on any group or individual who has taken up the
challenge of inciting the Presidency against the governor of Anambra
State.
“We
are appalled that some desperate politicians, who have no sense of
limits, have taken it upon themselves to instigate the Presidency
against the governor of Anambra State. We shall not relent in our
efforts to expose their efforts and alert the general public on their
shenanigans. For now, we are constrained by the dictates of decency to
react in a measured tone to this dastardly act in the hope that the
faceless group behind this campaign will desist from their plot.
However, we may feel sufficiently justified to name names in subsequent
reactions if the calumny campaigners do not discontinue with their
plot,” the group warned.