TELL Magazine

Willie Obiano, immediate former governor of Anambra State is in trouble. The man who is supposed to be relaxing in retirement after eight years in office is cooling his feet with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. He was arrested around 8:30 pm on Thursday, a few hours after he handed over the reins of office to Charles Soludo, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

The EFCC claimed that Obiano had been on their watch list for some time, adding that he would have been arrested before Thursday but for the immunity he enjoyed as governor. So, Wilson Uwujaren , spokesperson of the EFCC said the commission placed sister agencies on the alert on his movement.

The result was that the man was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos less than twelve hours after he lost the immunity. He has since been transferred to the Abuja office of the commission. Though the EFCC has not given details of his offence, it could be assumed that it would be for alleged corruption.

Now that is not the only thing that would preoccupy the mind of the man as he was held by state officials. Earlier on Thursday, as the inauguration of his successor was taking place Obiano had to leave the venue in Awka apparently displeased by an incident involving the wife, Ebelechukwu.

The former first lady who was said to have arrived the venue late, had sauntered to another wing of the reception to start an altercation with Bianca Ojukwu, a former beauty queen and widow of Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, leader of the then Biafra. After a short exchange of uncomplimentary words, Bianca allegedly slapped Ebelechukwu and displaced her wig. The two women had to be separated. Mrs Obiano was later led away, while the husband also left the venue unceremoniously.

That incident briefly disrupted the ceremony, and Soludo was to later apologise tot guests and people of the state. He said he would intervene to restore peace between the two warring women.

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