Obi: How Obiano Mismanaged My N75bn Savings

Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has reacted to Governor Willie Obiano’s recent allegation that the N75 billion savings handed over to him (Obiano) by Obi, in March 2014, were far less than the actual figure, accusing the current governor of distortion of facts and gross financial mismanagement.

At a recent press conference in Awka, the Anambra State capital, Obiano had dismissed Obi’s claims as “half-truths,” pointing out that the former governor left the state with a heavy debt overhang of N106.2 billion when his tenure expired on March 17, 2014.

He had wondered how Obi could have given Ndi Anambra a rosy picture of the assets he left behind without showing them the liabilities he incurred.

The governor, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Solomon Osita Chukwulobelu, held that out of the N185.1billion, the Obi administration could only pay the sum of N78.9 billion when it handed over power in March last year, bringing the total liabilities to N106.2 billion.

But Obi, who opened up yesterday in a statement made available to journalists by his media aide, Valentine Obienyem, decried how Obiano squandered the hardearned savings in foreign currency which would have gone a long way in sustaining the development of the state.

The statement entitled: ‘We Need a Public Debate on the N75 billion Peter Obi Left,’ provided details and listed the areas the money was frittered away to include N5 billion approved by the present administration for the celebration of the first 100 days in office, the N1 billion monthly security vote, hundreds of billions spent for 2014 Christmas decoration and buying of horses and the N40 million to mount the gates at the Government’s Lodge.

Others include N35 million spent to mount the gate at the Government’s House, change of roof at the Government House which gulped N700 million, change of all the tiles in the Government House to pale granite at N150 million, procurement of dining table at N25 million, seats at N50 million, gold bed from the United States at N30 million and another gold bed for the governor’s wife at N25 million.

Giving a further breakdown on how Obiano successfully depleted the N75 billion savings within a short period of time, Obienyem said N40 million was spent on imported kitchen cabinet from the United States, N150 million for musical sets for Aguleri, acquisition and relocation of all lands around the governor’s compound at Aguleri, as well as the increase in Commissioners and Special Advisers pay to over N400,000 monthly as against N190,000 Obi’s administration paid.

Other areas the savings was mismanaged include the increase in salary of Senior Special Assistants from N160,000 to N300,000.

According to the former governor, Obiano had also used more vehicles in less than two years than what his predecessor used in eight years, with the present SSG using three Prado SUVs and two Toyota Hilux cars; the Chief of Staff two Prado SUVs and two Toyota Hilux cars and the Principal Secretary using two Prado SUVs and one pickup car.

While saying that there was nothing wrong in government borrowing money to meet its genuine demands, Obienyem dismissed the claim that the Obi administration left debts on contracts executed.

He said: “They said that Obi left N106.2 billion (wrong figure) over hangon contractual debts alone. I challenge them to publish the schedule of the debts and the companies being owed.

“As at the time Obi left office, he paid for all the certificates generated on contracts awarded. Certificates are generated on the basis of work completed. Are they saying Obi ought to pay for contracts yet to be done? The same man saying this awarded 35 fresh roads within his first year in office at the total cost of over N81 billion out of which he has paid N10 billion.

“On the other hand, Obi awarded roads totalling N93 billion in his last year in office and paid a total of over N51 billion on those roads before leaving office. Most of those roads were used to campaign for him during electioneering on the premise of continuity,” the statement said.

On the claim by the present administration that it met only N9 billion cash in the treasury, Obienyem said: “It is shocking to note that the Anambra State government said they only met N9 billion cash in the treasury. The point is that Obi left N37 billion in the treasury. We have the statements of accounts from the banks as at March 17, 2014. Let me illustrate using a few examples. Fidelity Bank and the money in the account as at March 17, 2017: account Name: Ministry of Works, No: 5030005514, N2,403,862,359.89; account Name: Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport, No: 5030025545, N2,029,706,380.45; account Name: Local Govt Community Development, account No: 5030042391, N1,734,069,061.09; account Name: Government Account, 5030047097, N3,048,355,196.

Diamond Bank: Account Name: Anambra State Subsidy Account, account No: 0026290200, amount N5,126,258,908.72; account name: UBE Matching Grant Account, No: 0031151473, amount N2,101,864,766.68; account name: Anambra State Joint Local Govt, No: 0022404540; amount N3,276,354,490.46.

First Bank: Name of Account: EF/IGR Consolidated Account, no is 2018779464, amount is N2,139,951,400.00. Enterprise Bank, account name is Govt House, Awka, Account no is 1400036138 and Amount is 1,928,596,191.25. The total is N23,789,018,751.”

Every effort by THISDAY to speak with the Special Assistant to the governor on Media, Mr. James Eze proved abortive as he was said to be attending training.