The
All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, has thrown its weight behind
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State in the ongoing face-off between
him and his estranged predecessor by challenging the former Governor, Mr
Peter Obi, to produce evidence that he handed over N75bn to his
successor as claimed in his handover note to Obiano some 18 months ago.
Addressing
newsmen yesterday in Awka, the state capital, National Publicity
Secretary of APGA, Chief Ifeatu Obiokoye explained that the party and
Governor Obiano decided to keep mute for such a long time because they
wanted peace to reign, more so when Obi was still a member of APGA
family.
Vowing
that both the uninformed and informed minds know that the controversial
N75bn was not existing anywhere, Obiokoye said, “I believe Governor
Willie Obiano was being cautious by coming up with the truth now which,
if he had done before now, would have embarrassed his predecessor.
“What
is clear is that even in the handover note the liabilities were not
clearly spelt out. “The other aspect was other monies that was not in
liquid cash but in liabilities. What do we now do with the truth as
revealed by Governor Obiano.
“I
would say that it is time for all of us to seriously look at the
financial position of the state in the light of the global recession
that is also affecting the country,” he said.
The
APGA spokesman, who maintained that the revenue currently accrued to
the state was 48% less than what it used to get three years ago, charged
the people of the state to find ways of raising internally generated
revenue, IGR, to enable government meet up recurrent and capital
expenditures.
While
condemning the bloating of the state civil service with over 6,000
staff recruited by Obi at the terminal days of his administration, he
praised Obiano for being able to pay workers on 25th of every month and
pensioners as at when due.
Obiokoye
described Obi’s reaction to the N75bn saga as pitiable, and explained
that it became necessary the Governor told the people of the state the
truth because the opposition championed by Obi amounts to playing
politics which is aimed at dragging the reputation of Obiano to the mud.
