*says, he doesn’t regret leaving his govt for APC
By; PAMELA EBOH, Awka
Former Governor Obiano’s deputy, Dr Nkem Okeke has regretted the way his boss ended his eight years leadership of Anambra State, saying that he did not deserve such inglorious end.
He observed that part of Obiano’s problem was that he surrounded himself with bootlickers who only deceived him.
According to him, all the issues could have been avoided.
Okeke said that despite the strained relationship between him and his boss, that he was pained when he saw him in the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) net, noting that he was so emaciated.
He said, “When I saw my boss when he came out of the EFCC, I was happy that he came out because he was losing so much weight. I don’t know what might have happened if he stayed longer. I am happy he came out to fight his battle from outside. But all these could have been avoided.
“Not withstanding the strained relationship between me and my boss, Dr Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano at the time, I felt pained when I saw him in EFCC net. As a Christian, I wasn’t happy with his travails. I thank the EFCC management for not detaining him more than necessary.”
Okeke who was a lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka before he was picked to run the ticket of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) with Obiano, had dumped the party for All Progressives Congress (APC) towards the tail end of Obiano’s administration, said he does not regret his action.
According to him, his move was necessitated by the lack of goodwill he his boss’ government.
While saying that he knew things were not going on well when they were in government, he regretted that even the pieces of advice he gave on certain issues were ignored.
The former Deputy governor added, “In the last couple of months before our administration came to an end, I wasn’t getting my overhead as the governor refused to sign the warrant for my overhead. But I am hoping that Governor Charles Soludo will do that when the time comes. For now, I don’t want to add to the governor’s problems and if it doesn’t come eventually, life goes on. I didn’t join politics for entitlements but to contribute my quota.
“I was not receiving my entitlements while I was serving and i am not sure I will get any severance allowance. I don’t even know what is there for me.
“I thank God that I left the government when I did. Anybody who blames me for leaving is not being fair to me. If I was in government till the end, people would have been asking me all manners of questions. I believe that God has been guiding me all through the process by helping me make critical decisions.”
“Our regime has come and gone with mixed feelings. As the deputy governor, I had my expectations, but things didn’t really work out the way I expected. The governor is the all and the deputy just answers to the whims and caprices of the governor.
“As the deputy governor, you cant question the governor, but I tried to do my best in the situation I found myself. It wasn’t easy for me and everything that happened culminated in my leaving the party, APGA last year November.
“”It was not really my intention to join the APC, but I felt that after serving as deputy governor, what is the next. Would I continue to be in state politics or go to national politics and the question was, If I wanted to go to national politics, will it be APC or PDP? Two of them are really the same but I chose to join the party in power at the national level.
“I knew some people were not happy with that decision but I look at things from all perspectives. I put into consideration what APC has done for the people of Anambra, particularly the second Niger bridge and I know what that bridge will do for our state when it is commissioned. “I also figured that the next four years I will be 66 years and if I could contribute politically, the state will benefit from it, I hope that opportunity will come.
“I don’t have any regrets joining the APC. I have really gained national limelight since joining the party. APC has welcomed me with open arms as I have been participating in the activities of the party at al levels. I just hope that more opportunities will come.”
