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Whether it is the escape of Ojukwu from Biafra to Ivory Coast or the escape of Ngige from Anambra to who knows where, I give it to our Igbo brothers when it comes to escaping from trouble spots of their own making.
This one by Chris Ngige is straight from the Ezegwurugwuru escape playbook:
quote:GOVERNMENT OF ANAMBRA STATE OF NIGERIA
VALEDICTORY SPEECH BY THE OUT-GOING GOVERNOR OF ANAMBRA STATE, HIS EXCELLENCY, DR. CHRIS NWABUEZE NGIGE, OON, KSJ, TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE
SALUTE TO COURAGE; SALUTE TO FOLLOWERSHIP
My dear good people of Anambra State,
It is with deep appreciation and sense of responsibility that I address you today as I take a bow as your Governor. I regret my inability to present this address physically as I had to keep an urgent medical appointment abroad. Nevertheless, permit me to address you, perhaps for the last time as your Governor, as we enter a new phase in our struggle for an egalitarian Anambra State devoid of acrimony but filled with milk and honey.
As you are already aware, the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu yesterday March 15, 2006 failed to uphold my appeal against the Justice Garba Nabaruma-led Tribunal verdict, which declared Mr. Peter Obi of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) as the duly elected person in the Governorship Election of April 19, 2003. Consequently, I am expected to relinquish the Governorship seat, which I occupied since May 29, 2003, following my declaration as winner of that election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for Mr. Obi to be sworn-in as our next Governor.
The road to today has, no doubt, been tortuous for both my humble self and Mr. Obi. For me, today is also not the time to talk about who won and who did not win the election or whether the distinguished Justices of the Appeal Court gave their verdict freely and without coercion from powerful quarters. What is important is that a court of competent jurisdiction has delivered its verdict and as a law-abiding and responsible citizen, I will abide by it in the interest of peace and orderly development of our State. Respect for the rule of law and the sanctity of the judiciary are critical ingredient we must cherish and honour if we are to advance as a civilized society and practice democracy in its true, pure form and be respected among the comity of nations of the civilised world. People in authority should endeavour to obey court rulings, no matter how unpalatable they may be. Doing otherwise is certainly an open invitation to anarchy and lawlessness and our nation can ill afford this.
I salute Mr. Obi for his doggedness and determination, which saw him pursue his case to a logical conclusion. I also congratulate him for being my successor in office while also wishing him good luck and God's guidance in his new assignment. I call on you, my dear good people of Anambra State, to give him your maximum cooperation, much more than you gave me, to enable him succeed in his new assignment so that in the end, all of us will be beneficiaries of his stewardship.
It might, perhaps, be necessary for me to use this opportunity once more to do some stock-taking, while at the same time thank you, the good people of Anambra State, for your courage and steadfastness as manifested in the granite support you gave our Administration these past 33 months. Your will recall that when we came in on May 29, 2003, we promised to give you qualitative and purposeful leadership such that will regenerate confidence in government business in order to make you shirk off the despondency and cynical look noticed on most faces in the State - a feature noticed among teachers, workers and pensioners whose salaries and allowances were not regular. The latter category of people were owed many months of unpaid pensions and gratuities. Dearth of infrastructure, especially dilapidated roads, stared us in the face.
Housing and water projects were non-existent. Primary and secondary schools' buildings/furniture were utterly neglected, not to talk of the only newly established University - the Anambra State University - which did not benefit in terms of any development. I am happy to say that after 33 months on the saddle, all these have changed for good in the first year, for better in the second year and for best in this third year.
We have built over 24 State and Federal roads totaling 800 kilometres and spanning all Local Government Areas in the State, 14 township roads in Onitsha, 10 township roads in Awka with the on-going massive dualisation of the main Nnamdi Azikiwe Avenue, Awka. All the roads are accompanied by concrete drains and erosion checks to make them last.
STATE OF FINANCES
When we came in on May 29, 2003, we met an empty treasury and there was not a single kobo to run Government business, not to talk of paying salaries. We owed banks and other financial institutions. The State could not even service her counterpart funding for various projects. It was not until the end of June 2003 when money trickled in from the Federation Account that we engineered the finances that enabled us pay staff and at the same time start payment of pensions at 142% rise, the first State in the entire South East to do so. We have also from the consistently allocated N150 million monthly defrayed the huge accumulated gratuities, which had piled up from the old Anambra State, up to 1991 when the new Anambra State was created and beyond. Today, I am proud to say that we have entered the 2001 gratuities and it is being liquidated.
As I leave the saddle of governance of the State today, we have in the State coffers as State funds about N12.8 billion. This is made up of a Strategic Reserve of N7.5 billion for road construction, N1.5 billion for the development of the new Anambra State University. This from the Excess Crude savings and is designed for the infrastructural development of the three campuses of the university at Uli, Alor and Igbariam. Another N1.3 billion for the housing programme and N2.5 billion in the Recurrent Account for salaries, wages and pensions. These are aside from the N3 billion in the State/Local Government Joint Account dedicated for the construction of inter-local governmental roads.
Every member of the State Executive and Honourable members of the State House of Assembly made sacrifices for the State and shunned profligacy, which enabled us save this quantum of money. I, therefore, plead with the in-coming administration in the name of God not to "fritter" away these painfully gathered savings as they are already tied to specific projects such as the following:
1. Onitsha - Atani - Osomalla - Ogwuikpele road with a spur to Ozubulu, one of the most dilapidated roads in the State (contract for this already awarded.)
2. Amawbia - Ebenebe - Orba Ofemili road which has already been awarded.
These roads were already slated for flag-off before the verdict of the Appeal Court. It will, therefore, be appreciated by all peace-loving Anambrarians if the incoming administration pays special attention to these roads and also uses the funds judiciously to pay for the certificates that would be generated by the various contractors handling the road projects. This will keep the tempo, which we have started in top gear.
In addition, we have left some N2.5 billion in the Recurrent Account to help make sure that salaries and allowances of civil servants and other perks of office are addressed as and when due without waiting for the Federation Account. Due Process and Accountability have been enthroned in doing Government business and I urge the Obi Administration to maintain this high tempo. I have no doubt in my mind that governance is all about service to the people and that my successor will complete all the projects started by my administration and go further to even do more for the people of Anambra State within the seemingly short period left.
Our Health Care Financing Scheme, Educational and other social services are on course and should be sustained. In the health care sector, we have two 40 feet containers filled with medical equipment valued at N350 million and awaiting distribution to the various General Hospitals and Health Centres. Water supply is also receiving serious attention with work on-going in Onitsha and Awka. In the Onitsha water supply scheme, water has started running from dry taps after many years of dry taps.
Finally, let me use this medium to thank all dedicated men and women who joined us to form the Government of Anambra State, for their display of extreme patriotism to their State. I wish all of them well in their next endeavour. I thank the Deputy Governor, the Speaker and the distinguished members of the Anambra State House of Assembly for their support, courage and exemplary followership without which the milestone recorded by my Administration may not have been possible. I am also profoundly grateful to the members of the National Assembly from the State who stood by us and the truth. I salute my brother Governors, party leaders and political associates and friends for their support and solidarity to my Administration in its trying times. I will not forget members of the State Executive Council and other political appointees who worked tirelessly with me through out the duration of our tenure. You are indeed all quality men and women.
My sincere thanks also go to the Judiciary in Anambra State for standing firm in the discharge of their functions. I thank Traditional Rulers, the Civil Society, Organised Labour, the Church for their prayers, which sustained us in the face of a vicious opposition mounted by a tiny cabal determined to ensure we did not last a single day in office. I thank the media for their resilience and positive coverage of my Administration and urge them to extend same to my successor as he takes over the reins of power in Anambra State.
For now, I take a bow and leave the stage in order to take my well-deserved rest till service to our fatherland beckons again! Thank you and God bless you all.
Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige, OON, KSJ
Governor, Anambra State
March 16, 2006
Wouldn't it have been better for the outgoing governor to properly hand over power to his successor in a formal ceremony?
Posts: 38 | Registered: Nov 2003
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By CHRISTIAN ITA, GODWIN TSA (Abuja) & DARE ODUFOWOKAN The Sunnewsonline: Sunday, March 19, 2006
Following the notice given by the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) to seek the Supreme Court’s interpretation on the tenure of Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, lawyers were at the weekend sharply divided on the number of years Obi would spend in office.
APGA National Chairman, Sir Victor Umeh had moments after Obi was given a Certificate of Return by the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu Thursday expressed the resolve of his party to seek judicial interpretation on the issue.
While Chief Gani Fawehinmi was of the opinion that Obi has only a year and two months, Mr. Femi Falana insisted that the new Ananmbra State governor is entitled to a four-year tenure of office. Several other lawyers spoken to held equally opposing views.
Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) Peter Obi will start from where Ngige stopped. Despite Obi’s victory, he cannot enjoy a four-year tenure because the Constitution stipulates that election must be held every four years. The next election will be coming up next year and therefore, Peter Obi has only one year and two months to stay in office before he hands over to the next democratically elected governor. The tenure of the next governor in Anambra State will take off from 29th May 2007 and therefore, if Peter Obi wants to continue as governor, he must submit himself for re-election.
Femi Falana He (Obi) is entitled to a four-year tenure by virtue of section 180 of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulates that the governor shall remain in office for four years commencing from the day of the administration of oath of office
Mike Ahamba (SAN) The four-year tenure of Governor Peter Obi has just begun with his swearing-in today. This is because the constitution is very clear. You have a period of four years post swearing-in. Peter Obi has not gone in to complete Ngige’s term.
Election has just been concluded in Anambra State because the election begins with the registration of voters and ends with election petitions. If you look at the Electoral Act that is how the whole thing is arranged.
The day Peter Obi is sworn-in as the governor of the state, then his tenure begins to run from that day. This is the position of the law because he is not going to conclude the tenure of Ngige because by law Ngige had no tenure based on the decision of the court that he was never elected.
Festus Keyamo The position of the Constitution is very clear on this issue. Read section 180, subsection 2, paragraph A and you will understand this issue.
The tenure of a governor is four years. So, Peter Obi is entitled to four years in office. He cannot be expected to complete Ngige’s tenure, he should start his own four years. There should be no controversy over that. It is a constitutional thing and the Constitution’s position is very clear on it.
Patrick Ikwueto [SAN] Going by the provisions of section 180 [2] subject to section 180 [1], Obi cannot go for a four-year tenure on a fresh mandate but must stay the tenure of Ngige.
Fred Agbaje The Nigerian Electoral Act and the Nigerian Constitution stipulate that election must be held every four years. So, if Obi is sworn-in today, he must submit himself to another election next year. He is going in there to conclude the remaining part of the 2003 – 2007 tenure.
When others leave next year, what will he be waiting for? Those saying he should spend four years are technically wrong. People should stop all these wrong interpretation of the Constitution. Saying Obi should stay for four years is wrongly interpreting the Constitution. Obi should prepare his mind to go next year or prepare to submit himself for re-election.
He should not be under any illusion that he would continue beyond next year. For Obi and his people, their tenure ends on May 29, 2007.
Bisi Adegbuyi On the issue of Peter Obi’s tenure, section 180, subsection 2A of the Constitution is very clear. If Peter Obi is sworn-in today, then his 4-year tenure starts from today. And his four years is non-negotiable. We have a responsible judiciary that can interpret these things; so, it is not difficult to say this. The Constitution is very explicit on this. He is constitutionally entitled to it.
The removal of Ngige and the declaration of Peter Obi as governor is a victory for the people, a victory for democracy and a victory for constitutionalism.
The people of Anambra who voted for Peter Obi waited patiently for three years (3years) for the mandate they gave him to be actualized, and it took the instrumentality of the judiciary to do this. This once again re-enforces belief that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man in this country. I can only urge Nigerians to continue to have faith in the judiciary.
What's your take?
Posts: 27 | From: USA | Registered: Nov 2001
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I agree with Mr. Gani that if Mr. Obi wish to continue as governor in May, 2007, he should submit himself for a reelection.
Posts: 288 | From: California | Registered: Jul 2003
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When it comes to escaping aren't Wole Soyinka, Brigadier Ademogun(Sp?), Alade Akinrinade etc holding the record anymore? While some of them paddled canoe out of nigeria, others trekked as some rode motor bike to escape danger. So what's new? In fact during abacha’s rule it is on record that sixty or more percent of Yoroba who’s who scampered out of that country to safe havens overseas. Of those that stayed behind, a good number was destroyed so what's the noise for?
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2482 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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