By Ugo Onyeka
At the root of why Peter Obi could not generate more than four hundred million in IGR each month, for eight years, is the notoriety of Chief Nwaobualor Obi’s Special Adviser on IGR and Uncle.
Sylvester Nwaobualor, the over 70 years old Peter Obi’s aide at the time Obi was governor, also doubles as Obi’s uncle. He was the man in charge of Anambra State’s informal revenue collection throughout the state. A position he exploited for stupendous wealth. The position also gave him an incredible power and influence throughout Obi’s tenure as Governor. So potent was his relevance despite his old age, that he became Peter Obi’s political henchman, with the power to make and unmake, owing to the enormous funds available to him through siphoned IGR collected. Meanwhile, the government continued to receive paltry sum in IGR, till the end of Obi’s eight years in office.
As Special Adviser, Nwaobualor was so power drunk under Obi’s watch, that he challenged commissioners and intimidated all government officials that dare questioned him. It is impossible for him to have done all those, without Peter Obi’s backing. There is no way Obi can deny full knowledge of his uncle’s unwholesome meddlesomeness with the State’s IGR. It is not possible. Yet, Obi retained him as his Adviser on IGR, till his last day in office as Governor of Anambra State.
Upon assumption of office by Obiano, Nwaobualor had intended to continue milking the state dry, while remiting paltry sum into the state coffers, but Obiano stood his ground and then put an end to his sole control over the state’s IGR. By this singular action, in a few months, Obiano was able to grow the state’s IGR to a billion Naira. Before the end of Obiano’s first tenure, Anambra IGR moved to about One billion, five hundred million Naira, every month. A mark Obi could not achieve in eight years, because of his uncle’s attachment to the state’s purse, which he used to service Obi’s political interests.
This was the reason Nwaobualor despite being a member of APGA, declared support for the PDP candidate in the 2017 governorship election in Anambra State. In that election, Peter Obi led the PDP candidate, Oseloka Obaze, around and vigorously campaigned against Governor Obiano. But at the end, Obiano won in all the twenty-one local governments in Anambra State.
Obi made frantic efforts to unseat Obiano over flimsy reasons of mismanagement, but in reality, Obi and his uncle Nwaobualor were protesting governor Obiano’s decisive end to their limitless access to Anambra’s IGR, that goes to their private ends.
Typically, Obi often defend his innocence of Nwaobualor’s appointment on the basis that it was his Deputy that appointed him. But Obi worked comfortably and in direct interface with Nwaobualor for nearly eight years.
It is therefore preposterous for Peter Obi to continue to parade himself as a Saint and an ideal public servant. If Peter Obi’s personal interests prevented him from removing his uncle or insisting on him doing the right thing, then, that ought to be a huge issue of concern.
Very clearly, if a political leader is unable to think in terms of self-sufficiency for his or her sphere of influence, through IGR, that leader can hardly achieve anything substantial because, there will not be enough fund to finance the government’s vision. Based on the above,it is not surprising that Obi could not achieve much, as Governor of Anambra State.
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