By Moses Adeniyi
Unsavoury narratives clouded the exit of immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, as he was seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), less than 24 hours after he handed over power to Professor Charles Soludo on Thursday.
This is just as his wife, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano, has continually been slammed over a row which reports alleged her slapping Bianca Ojukwu, wife of late Biafra warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu.
Obiano’s wife according to reports, allegedly slapped the former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain during the inauguration of Professor Chukwuma Soludo as the new Governor of Anambra State, Thursday at the Government House, Awka.
Obiano on Wednesday had formally handed over official government documents to Soludo at the Government House, Awka.
The development has been trailed with sour narratives as the former Governor after his handing over of power was seized by EFCC at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, at about 8:30p.m.
The arrest came a few hours after attending the inauguration of his successor, Prof. Soludo on Thursday.
According to report gathered, Obiano was headed for Texas, United States of America, before his arrest behind the bars of the anti graft agency; an account that has been confirmed by EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren.
Details of the wrongdoing warranting his arrest awaits disclosure as at the time of filing this report.
However, it would be recalled that Obiano, as at 2021 was enlisted on the watch-list of the EFCC.
The anti-graft agency had in a letter to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service dated November 15, 2021, requested the immigration service to place Obiano on a watch-list and give intelligence anytime he is sighted travelling out of the country from any of the International airports and other points of entry and exit.
In a reactionary statement, the then State Commissioner for Information in Anambra, Don Adinuba, had dared the EFCC, boasting his principal would return to the US, his original base, after leaving office.
Obiano who made his way on Thursday to Lagos for an exit to the US via the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, was seized by EFCC at about 8.30p.m., following intelligence by immigration officers.
Slams on wife over slap-assault
Meanwhile, situation has grown sour for Obiano as his wife, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, has been under severe attacks for allegedly slapping Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, wife of late Biafra warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, at Charles Soludo’s inauguration ceremony.
In a reaction, Senator representing Anambra North, Senator Stella Oduah who condemned, in strong terms, what she saw as throwing decorum away in attacking Bianca, described her action as “indecorous and unbecoming.”
The senator in a statement on Thursday said, “In strong terms, this unwarranted attack against the wife of an illustrious son and our very own Ikemba.
“I wish to add that the act exhibited by the former first lady was indecorous and unbecoming of a woman who had acted as a mother of the state and even desirous of serving in other capacities.
“More condemnable is even the gutter and vulgar language used by Mrs Obiano to describe her fellow woman, who is even a widow. I have always held the view that it is only weak minds that label hardworking women like Bianca with nasty names.
“And it is more unfortunate when a woman, especially one that has been around the corridors of power, is the one hurling such baseless and regretful invectives against her fellow woman. What the world witnessed today at the swearing-in ceremony is utterly disgraceful, unfortunate, crude and should never be emulated by the millions of our young girls and women who often look up to public figures with respect to how they conduct themselves.
“Only a few days ago, an innocent woman was publicly paraded naked in the same community our former first lady hails from and one would have thought that rather than showcase this brute nature of fighting and engaging in public fisticuffs with her guest, she should have exerted same energy and fighting spirit in ensuring that justice is done for that widow.
“It saddens me a great deal to see the wife of an illustrious Anambra son, the pride of Ndigbo and an achiever that was once an ambassador of the Federal Republic, being attacked unprovoked and I join all right thinking persons in praying that we never ever record this type of travesty again in our history as a state.”
Among other streams of reaction slamming Obiano’s wife, the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), the umbrella body of all youth groups in the South-East geopolitical zone, has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Mrs. Ebelechukwu.
COSEYL in a press statement jointly signed by its National President, Goodluck Ibem; and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Okey Nwaoru, strongly condemned the action describing it as “abominable.”
The statement read in part, “It is the height of insult on the entire Igbo nation for Mrs Obiano to slap the wife of our revered and great Igbo Leader and Icon Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu.
“Mrs Obiano has exposed to the entire world that she is an untrained and uncouth low life.
“In all standards or standing, Mrs Obiano is unqualified and too low to stand before Mrs Bianca Ojukwu.
“The father of Bianca Chief C. C. Onoh was a former Governor of old Anambra State who achieved so much for his people.
“Who is Mrs Obiano’s father or parents? They are unknown and remain unknown.
There is no right-thinking person in his or her normal senses that will act what Mrs Obiano acted in an event graced by highly respected Igbo and non-Igbo personalities.
“Mrs Obiano has desecrated the temple and honour of the entire Igbo nation and she has to be disciplined in accordance with the offence she has committed.
“We demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of Mrs Obiano by security agencies.
“As youth leaders of the entire Igbo nation, we cannot and will not accept or play down on such great insult on the wife of our great leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu.
“Mrs Obiano has purchased some goods and those goods she bought have to be supplied to her in full without removing any item from the goods she bought.
“We, therefore, declare Mrs Obiano the wife of former governor of Anambra State Mr. Willie Obiano persona non grata in Igboland for desecrating Alaigbo.
“The order has been given and it must be strictly adhered to.”