Alleged corruption: Obiano breaks silence, Says he is not a criminal in govt house

After almost two years of keeping silent over allegations of corruption against him, especially on the social media and village squares, Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano yesterday broke his silence.

Obiano stated emphatically that contrary to the allegation making the rounds, he said he is not a criminal in the Government House but a very transparent and accountable leader with the interest of Anambra State at heart.
The governor who spoke while hosting correspondents and some select media chiefs in Anambra state, at the Governor's Lodge in Awka, insisted that he is focused to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state as he promised during his campaigns.
Obiano said: “I am a very transparent person. I am not here to steal; I am a big man. I never dreamt of being a Governor but like David in the wilderness, God brought me to do this job. People don’t know what I passed through, what they know is that I am the Governor.”
He further said that he is not in government to either acquire wealth or steal from the state to be rich as he is already contented with what he has.
He said that in order to fulfill his promises, his government has adopted the approach of doing more with less funds, even in the face of dwindling oil revenue, which has crippled some states and even made its chief executives to be wanting in payment of salaries.
The Governor said: “Most of you know how I came to become the governor, I did not set out to become one, but God made it possible. I used to tell myself that the reason God made it possible is for me to do a good job and help contribute my quota to the growth of the society.
“I am a transparent fellow, and I am not here to steal. I am a rich man in my own right, and I’m contented with what I have. Some people think it is a lot of enjoyment to be a governor, but they do not know the difficulties in it. At some point when you should be resting, some folks will come to disturb your peace, but you have to do it because you are their governor.”
He also told journalists that the state is currently being owed the sum of N34 billion by the Federal Government, being funds he expended on federal roads in the state, and he ap¬pealed to the Federal Government to reimburse the state as the funds were meant for other projects, but used to rehabilitate federal roads because of their very bad shape in the state.
Obiano said that Anambra is among the few states of the federation that are still paying workers’ salaries promptly, and that in the case of Anambra, he has even increased salaries and also mapped out incentives for workers in rural areas and for teachers who teach core subjects in government-owned schools.
He said that when the various MOUs signed with the various investors are actualised within the 1-2 year gestation period, Anambra state would be on its way to becoming the economic hub of not only the South East but Nigeria at large.