ANAMBRA STATE MISSING 75 BILLION NAIRA, THE ACCOUNTANT-GOVERNOR AND THE BURDEN OF ACCOUNTABILITY: TIME TO WALK THE TALK LEST THE STATE COLLAPSES

During the 2013 electioneering campaign heralding his emergence as the successor to former Governor Peter Obi, his campaign handlers made so much gain out of the pedigree of the current Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Willie Obiano. Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano holds a B.Sc. Second Class Upper in Accounting from University of Lagos (1979) and an MBA in Marketing also from same university.

Obiano is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).Chief Willie Obiano started his banking career as Officer in First Bank in 1981 from where he moved to Texaco Nigeria Plc as Accountant.

Chief Willie Obiano was promoted 4 times in his eight-and-half-year-service at Texaco to become Chief Internal Auditor.

Obiano is a specialist in Bunkering, Lube-blending and Refinery Audits.

He was part of the team that audited Texaco Refinery in Rotterdam, Netherlands in 1989.

He joined Fidelity Bank from Texaco in 1991 as Deputy Manager and head of Audit and was promoted Manager in 1991, Assistant General Manager in 1993, Deputy General Manager in 2000 and General Manager in 2002 and Executive Director in October, 2003.

Between 1991 and 2002, Chief Willie Obiano headed the following Groups, Divisions, at one point or another: Inspection and Audit; Operations and Information Technology; Division Head, Commercial & Consumer Banking; Division Head, Eastern Market. Other areas include Financial Control, Risk Management and Transaction Support, Corporate Finance, and Non Bank Financial Institutions.

No doubt, His Excellency, going by his rich Accountancy and Auditing background, leaves no one in doubt as to his level of understanding of corporate finances and corporate governance issues at large. Ordinarily, it will be taken for granted that under such a supposed financial guru, the citizens of Anambra State will count themselves blessed since they can go to bed without much qualms as to the safety of their collective patrimony meant for the infrastructural development of the state. Majority of the Anambra populace were thrilled by his towering credentials and given the love and massive goodwill they had for the then Governor, Chief Peter Obi, they had no difficulty in massively voting him into power as they so much trusted in the good sense of judgment of Chief Peter Obi who they could have voted for a third tenure had the Constitution of the land so permitted.
Sadly, today, the high hopes of the people on the assumed financial prudence and integrity of the Governor have been dashed. It has turned out to be a huge illusion. Things are now falling apart and the center can no longer hold. The disillusionment is indeed palpable and pervasive.

Just recently, the sour issue of Anambra bleeding finances came to the open. It initially started like a rumour, intense denial from government quarters followed, turning into a war of attrition, snowballing into proxy war and finally the burble burst. What Anambrarians feared most has now befallen them. Recognizing that this government is yet to clock two years in office, it is now goodnight at mid-morning. Regrets all over, tongues wagging and sour taste all over the mouth.
Today, Anambra State of Nigeria, can no longer meet financial obligations to its citizens. Judiciary of the State is under lock and key. The Judiciary staff are being owed months of arrears, human rights abuses have increased astronomically without a place to seek remedy, contracts can no longer be enforced, crime suspects can no longer be tried, the Administration of Justice System in the state has collapsed. In all of this, what is the Governor's reaction? Like the Nero of Old, he sees nothing and hears nothing, fiddling while Rome is burning. His Excellency has borrowed 10 billion naira, he still wishes to massively borrow more and yet he can not provide a reasonable explanation of the fate of the 75 billion naira his predecessor has always insisted he handed over to him. In a recent plenary meeting held by Priests of the Catholic Diocese of Awka, His Excellency was taken to task on the allegation of profligacy, prodigality and financial indiscretion encircling his regime, his answer was that if as a private citizen he was flying in chartered plane, how much more now he is the governor of the State. So much audacity? The priests clapped for him and he left.

While no one can confidently point to the whereabout of the 75 billion naira Chief Peter Obi claims he bequeathed to him, Anambrarians cannot just throw up their hands in despondency. As between Mr. Peter Obi and Mr. Willie Obiano, the money is surely lying somewhere.
Just last week, a law firm based in Abuja, Oak Attorneys, wrote His Excellency under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, to publish the Certified True Copies of the State Accounts with all the commercial banks in the country alongside the handover note compiled and transmitted to the governor by his successor. Specifically, the firm requested the governor, to publish or cause to be published on the official website of Anambra State Government the following documents/records;
(a) A Certified True Copy of the Statement of Account of all the Bank Accounts where all the monies of the People and Government of Anambra State are lodged as at 17th March, 2014.
(b) A Certified True Copy of the Statement of Account of all the Bank Accounts where all the monies of the People and Government of Anambra State are lodged as at 16th November, 2015.
(c) A copy of the Handover Note compiled and handed over to you by your predecessor, Chief Peter Obi.

Anambrarians are now waiting to know what the governor will do with the Request Letter. As the seven days ultimatum contained in the said Letter of Request is fast elapsing, the heat is increasing turning on the governor. A large section of the Anambra populace believes it is the best way out of the 75 billion naira saga. The governor who has always brandished his rich Accountancy background and has always held himself out as an Apostle of Transparency and financial integrity is now standing face to face with the demands of accountability. This is indeed a litmus test. Talk is cheap and the money at stake is no chicken change. Will Willie willingly walk his talk? Only time will tell. But for now, the demand of public accountability is banging heavily on his door and can o longer suffer further delay. The clock is indeed ticking for His Excellency.