EXCLUSIVE: How Ex-Gov Obiano Denied Uzuegbuna Okagbue’s Senatorial Ticket Uncovered

…As unconfirmed feelers have it that it was Obiano who removed Uzuegbuna Okagbue’s name as Soludo’s Deputy in the build-up to Anambra Governorship Election in November, last year.

There are strong indications that the former governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, and his most trusted aide, Uzuegbuna Okagbue, have fallen out.

Okagbue who was the governor’s minder for eight years and the most revered associate of the former government in that government for eight years is said to be having a rough time with his former boss.

The ongoing feud between Okagbue and Obiano which has left Obiano unsettled, according to our insider sources, is connected to last year’s governorship election or Okagbue’s unsuccessful senatorial bid.

Uzuegbuna Okagbue was the former Chief of Protocol and Deputy Chief of Staff to the former governor, for eight years. To date, he remains the face of Obiano’s government despite that he was rarely seen or heard, for those eight years.

The relationship between Obiano and Uzu was so remarkable that even while in EFCC custody, Obiano was captured in a video by a staff of the Commission with Uzu. What could be the cause of the feud?

In the last two weeks, there has been a credible tipoff that there is a major dispute between Obiano and Uzuegbuna.

According to feelers, this dispute has led to several meetings by highly placed individuals with Obiano and Uzu, to mediate. Efforts to reach individuals mentioned in that meeting which was held in Abuja proved abortive, as two of them reached, confirmed that there was a meeting but declined to speak.

We also gathered that Obiano made an offer to Uzu, to assuage him for the wrong he did to him, but the offer was declined by Uzu. One of those in that meeting was a former head of Nigeria’s security apparatchik.

However, unconfirmed feelers have it that it was Obiano who removed Uzuegbuna Okagbue’s name as Soludo’s Deputy in the build-up to Anambra Governorship Election in November, last year.

Recall that Uzuegbuna for unexplainable reasons pulled out of the race as Soludo’s Deputy. It was reliably gathered that the leadership of APGA before the November Election had nominated the former Chief of Protocol to be Soludo’s Deputy, stating convincing eleven points the party zeroed in on Uzuegbuna. It

However, Obiano prevailed on APGA leadership to drop Okagbue’s name. Obiano is also fingered in the conspiracy to deny Uzuegbuna Okagbue a senatorial ticket of APGA as Obiano is the National Leader of the party.

What remains difficult to figure out is just how possible it is for Obiano to have treated Uzuegbuna Okagbue in that manner after eight years of devoted service. This is a puzzle that is difficult to solve. Yet, again, how Okagbue uncovered these with enough evidence which we gathered was used to confront Obiano, was unclear as he bluntly refused to comment on the development. “If there is anything the public must know, then, take it from me that at the right time, I will speak.

Where did you people get this information, by the way”? Okagbue queried when he eventually responded to our messages after many trials.

Unsatisfied, we contacted many people including Okagbue’s director of media during his senatorial bid. He said he was not in the meeting or aware of any meeting. “I am just hearing all these from you, besides, you know there is no way I can comment on this kind of thing; it is personal, but what I can tell you is that Uzuegbuna Okagbue has enormous respect for the former governor and many people have likened their relationship with the kind of relationship Uzu shared with his late father”, Ebuka Onyekwelu said.

Asked if he can be quoted, and he said yes. However, our source insisted that the story is true and that some people even traveled from Anambra to Abuja to reconcile Obiano and Okagbue. “Obiano treated him so badly. It’s really bad”, our undisclosed source said.

Daily News Reporters