Drama ensued on Thursday at the inauguration of Charles Soludo as the governor of Anambra State when the wife of the outgoing Governor Willie Obiano, Ebelechukwu, slapped Bianca Ojukwu at the event.
Mrs Ojukwu is the widow of the late Biafran leader, Odumegwu Ojukwu.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who was at the scene of the event reported that the incident occurred immediately after Mr Soludo took his oath of office.
NAN reported that dignitaries, including Mr Obiano, were already seated when Mrs Obiano stepped in and moved to the front row where the widow of Mr Ojukwu was seated and slapped her.
The action drew the attention of security agents and some personalities who pulled Mrs Obiano off the hold of Mrs Ojukwu who was visibly shocked at the action.
Mrs Obiano was later taken away and shortly afterwards, her husband left the venue since the incident happened after the new governor had been sworn in.
Mr Soludo, alongside the Deputy Governor, Onyeka Ibezim, took their oath of office in a low-key ceremony.
The new governor, in his inaugural speech, vowed to change the economic fortunes of the state.ⓘ
About 50 people only were invited for the event, amongst them were the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Victor Oye and wife; Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Uchenna Okafor and wife.
‘Don’t repeat Obiano’s mistakes’
Meanwhile, a lawmaker in Anambra, Timothy Ifedioranma, has advised the incoming governor of the state, Charles Soludo, not to repeat the mistakes of his predecessor.
Mr Ifedioranma, who represents Njikoka State Constituency I in the Anambra House of Assembly, gave the advice on Thursday, shortly before Mr Soludo’s swearing-in, while assessing the performance of Mr Obiano’s administration.
The lawmaker, a member of the All Progressives Congress, said Mr Obiano had good intentions but that the actions behind the good intentions “were not properly carried out”.
He said Mr Obiano’s legacy projects were carried out at the expense of other sectors of the state.
“We are grateful for the International Airport, it has made travelling easy for residents but the fact is that the airport project crippled other sectors of the economy and state.
“An example is the state of our roads, they are in bad shape. Now we have an airport but we do not have a road to that airport.
“Another one is that we can have an international convention centre that is not of that magnitude and that will not gulp close to N10 billion.
“We can have 5,000 instead of the 10,000 seating capacity that was built, so that the funds can be channelled to other important projects.
“Governance is about the welfare and security of people. Obiano began well during his first tenure in the aspect of security but he ended poorly and somebody has to say it.
“If he had ended his administration in the first tenure, I would have scored his performance 80 per cent but his last tenure was a disaster. So many other sectors suffered because he was pursuing his legacy projects.
“So, I need to tell him the feelings of my constituents as an elected member of the state Assembly,” Mr Ifedioranma said.
“My advice to the incoming governor, Soludo, is that he should not make the same mistakes his predecessor made so that at the end of his tenure, he will be remembered for good,” he added.
(NAN)
