Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and his Deputy, Dame Virgy Etiaba are now trading words over who signed the 2007 budget of the state.
This followed a report in a national daily quoting Governor Obi as claiming at a workshop, that he was not part of the process that produced the 2007 budget which made him unable to carry all the programmes the Government had planned for the year, implying that it was his deputy, Etiaba who held forth while the impeachment process against him was. The report alleged that it was Etiaba who submitted the budget to the state House of Assembly and began its implementation.
But Etiaba had disputed that, saying that it was Governor Obi who signed and is actually implementing the budget.
Etiaba said the report was the handiwork of those she referred to as "a clique", who want to create a rift between her and the governor. She also referred to earlier reports which alleged that she spent N40 billion saved by Obi before he was impeached. She could not have squandered " a non existent N40 billion during my brief tenure".
In a statement she personally signed, the Deputy Governor said: " This report, unlike those earlier published on the squandering of a non exitent N40 billion during my brief tenure will not go undispelled.
I view the report as a product of a clique who is bent on destroying the cordial relationship between myself and my boss. I state categorically that this attempt at dragging me into another round of blackmail will not be tolerated.
"For record purpose, I handed over to His Excellency, Governor Peter Obi on the 9th day of February 2007, a period when the proposed budget was still being defended at the House of Assembly and at which time any amendment could have been made. The budget was eventually passed on the 19th day of April 2007, and signed by His Excellency a week later".
There is no love lust between Obi and his deputy, though two of them publicly pretend that there is cordial relationship existing between them. Though they manage to hide their differences when they appear in the public, close observers know that all is not well. The Deputy Governor has for sometime now being under severe bad media reportage which those close to her allege to be sponsored by the Governor's supporters.
By Anayo Okoli, Awka
Sunday Vanguard
Sunday, September 30, 2007
