Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano has come under severe attack for supporting President Muhammadu Buhari against his predecessor, Peter Obi, in the February 23 presidential election.
The Diocese of Aguata Anglican Communion described the governor’s action as “a betrayal of the highest order, a betrayal of a whole Igbo people, and a betrayal of his own people”.
Its position was conveyed in a Presidential Address/Bishop’s Charge presented to the 2nd Session of the 5th Synod of Diocese of Aguata, presented by Rt. Rev. Samuel Ezeofor at St James Anglican Church Uga, Aguata LGA.
It read, “When the former Governor of our state Sir Peter Obi was leaving office, he brought the present Governor Mr. Willie Obiano and convinced everyone that he was the one fit for the job of steering the ship of Anambra state.
“He literally forced him down our throat and Willie became or Governor. We still remember how it was so orchestrated at the inauguration of his Excellency Willie Obiano, that all the problems of the state are now solved.
“That was the first time as they say in the history of the state where a Governor leaving office will be physically present at the inauguration of his successor. They were school mates in the Secondary School; they were colleagues in the business world and very well understand each other. So we believe it was all uhuru. How mistaken we all were.
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“It was not long when things began to fall apart and this erstwhile close friends and associates became strange bed- fellows. We watched as they began to throw words as punches on each other, and it degenerated to mud-slinging.
“Efforts we were told were made to reconcile and settle things for them, but it never happened. We never knew it would degenerate to Mr. Willie Obiano turning his back to the whole Igbo race because of Sir Peter Obi to openly support and campaign for General Muhammadu Buhari.
“It was a betrayal of the highest order, a betrayal of a whole Igbo people, and a betrayal of his own people. The insult Mr. Willie Obiano laid on the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Nnia Nwodo was insult on the whole of Igbo race and we call on His Excellency Mr. Willie Obiano to apologize to Ndi Igbo.
“It is not lost on us that the grouse they had was the issue of supporting Mr. Buhari against the Igbo people. We do not know how our Governor decided to become friend of the man who wants all of us dead, the man in whose eyes a cow is worth a high premium and value than a people, the man who has not hidden his hatred for the Igbo man alive or dead, born and unborn.
“We do not know how our Governor explains the stance we took against all of us in favour and support of Buhari, but may it please the Governor to know that he wounded us so deeply in his bid to stop his benefactor Sir Peter Obi.”
The Diocese accused the governor of having an agenda against the Anglican Communion, saying he supervised the last APGA state primaries that almost removed all Anglicans from the State House of Assembly.
“For his Excellency Mr. Willie Obiano to have supervised the APGA party primaries in Anambra State to remove almost all the Anglicans in the State Assembly election is not an excellent behavior. For the Governor to supervise the State Assembly election to the point that it became obvious he was scheming against people of a particular denomination is less than excellent.
“Those who have the ears of the Governor should let him know our feelings and our request for apology. God bless Anambra State,” it further read.