Fides Media Living the Faith
By Sunny A Ijomah
A Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, has said that political opponents of the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, are jealous of his numerous achievements in the State.
Fr. Obimma, the Spiritual Director of the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke, as well as the Parish Priest of Blessed Iwene Tansi Parish, Umudioka, said instead of praising the former Governor’s achievements, his political opponents rather resorted to blackmailing and witch hunting him.
Speaking with newsmen at his Adoration Ministry in Uke, yesterday, the Vocal Priest, popularly called Fr. Ebube Muonso, said the present ordeal of the former Anambra Governor is the hand work of his political enemies, whose motive, according to him, is to tarnish his hard-earned image, and make him look like somebody who has not achieved anything as Governor.
He suggested that people should learn to reinforce and encourage hard work and good deeds, instead of looking for loopholes to entrap somebody that has well.
“I sense conspiracy in the entire saga. The intention, to me, is to malign his person and destroy his hard earned image.”
The current ordeal of the ex-governor is a premeditated plan. Dr. Willie Obiano, no doubt, has contributed greatly to the development of Anambra State. He has built one of the best airports in the country.
When he was building the airport, he was mocked and sabotaged. Many, who did not see anything good in his efforts made mockery of him, and they never knew that the airport would become a reality.
“Today, many elites and the common people are benefitting from the airport. In the recent times, majority of the political elites have either landed or taken off from the airport.
“Today, major international businesses are transacted via the airport.
“Majority, who fought the project are benefiting from it.
“All of us are witnesses to the kind of humiliation the former Anambra Governor went through.
“This shows that his political opponents are after him. This is a provocation that should not be encouraged,” he said.
On the 2023 presidency, he suggested that Igbo of the South-East extraction should be given the opportunity to have a shot at the presidency for the first time.
According to him, Ndigbo have not produced number one citizen of Nigeria for the first time since the return of democracy; adding that an Igbo man was close to the corridor of power only when Dr. Alex Ekwueme was Vice President under Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s government.
“There are thousands of men and women of Igbo origin, who have all it takes to move Nigeria forward. Over the years, the Igbo have not had the change to produce the country’s number one citizen. Coming to think of it, the Igbo man has the greatest stake in this country. Igbo people are at every nook and cranny of Nigeria.
“They have businesses at every point around the country. They have property everywhere. The Igbo are interested in the wellbeing of Nigeria. The Igbo also have what it takes to move Nigeria forward.
“2023 Igbo presidency project should be seen as a welcome development, and should be respected for the sake of equity, fair play and peaceful co-existence.
Most agitations across Nigeria are as a result of injustice and lack of equal opportunities. If injustices are addressed, agitations will die down naturally.
“Igbo of the south east extraction is the only major ethnic group that has not produced elected president of this country. It is sad.
I will urge South East elders and the political class to speak out. For the sake of equity, fairness and justice, Igbo stock should be given a chance in 2023. This country belongs to all of us, and no ethnic nationality should be sidelined.
“Demands for Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2023 are very germane for a number of reasons, including the need to douse certain agitations in some parts of the country, as a result of perceived marginalization.
“I will also suggest that there be a zoning formula, whereby one ethnic group will take a shot at the presidency after the other. That is when the maxim of one Nigeria will make sense to majority of citizens.
“I will also suggest that major political parties should consider southeastern presidential aspirants for their party tickets. They should consider nominating Igbo persons of the South-East extraction as their flag bearers.
“Electing Igbo man as Nigeria’s President in 2023 is a sure step to a greater Nigeria,” the Cleric added.