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The Anambra State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, Monday slammed the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, saying it was unfair for him to travel out of the state only to impose a curfew on the people from the United States of America, USA.
However, in a swift reaction, the state government has described APC’s statement as misplaced, adding that the governor was away on a business trip beneficial to Anambra State.
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Obiano had on Thursday last week, through the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, imposed a curfew on the state from 9 pm to 6am daily following the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the state. The governor said the curfew became necessary because the people of the state appeared to have abandoned COVID -19 protocols and also threatened to shut down markets in the state if the traders continued to flout the protocols.
But in an interview in Awka, the state secretary of APC, Mr. Chukwuma Agupugo urged the state House of Assembly and the leadership of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to call the governor to order to save the state from catastrophic consequences.
Agupugo said: ‘We are dismayed and disappointed about the reply of the national chairman of APGA, Dr. Victor Oye concerning the criticism by the leader of APC in Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige about Obiano’s non-performance.
‘Anambra people should condemn that kind of reply. As the national chairman of the party, he should be providing directions in line with the party’s constitution and giving the governor a clear-cut direction concerning the vision and mission of the party. It is surprising that he is supporting something ordinarily should not be supported.
‘It is abnormal that a governor, every other month if he is not abroad, his wife is abroad. It is the depletion of Anambra state funds – money that should have been channeled to the development of infrastructure in the state.
‘Look at everywhere in Anambra, there is no critical infrastructure. The economy is dwindling. It is very pathetic and the governor has traveled again at this biting period of coronavirus pandemic.
‘Every day you see an increase of the COVID-19 cases in the state and the governor of the state is abroad, without even having the courtesy of transmitting power to his deputy officially. It calls for concern.
‘The worst is each time he travels; he goes with a legion of people. Obiano should come back home and show leadership to the state, develop infrastructure, increase and improve the economy of the state so that the people of the state will enjoy the dividends of democracy. “We call on him to cut short his trip and come back to Anambra to address the needs of the people because he cannot see the real issues confronting Anambra State from America. He should come back and rule Anambra from Anambra’
However, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C. Don Adinuba described the opposition party’s comments as misplaced. Adinuba said:
‘First of all the governor has not traveled abroad in one year. The governor’s trip abroad is a business trip as he is negotiating with a firm in Brazil concerning Anambra Airport.
‘He is actually in Huston, Texas, which is the oil centre of the world, where he is negotiating for Anambra Refinery and Orient Petroleum and those who would want to invest in our crude oil in Aguleri.’ According to the Commissioner, the governor’s stay abroad would last for a few days only.
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