A follow-up to Garba Shehu: Buhari Is Ahead Of Obasanjo In All Fields Of National Development
Garba Shehu:
President Buhari just completed the world class edifice that is the Second Niger Bridge after three decades of failed promises. It is now awaiting commissioning.
Obasanjo laid the sod for the bridge in his first term as elected President and work never started.
When he sought re-election for his second term in office, he returned to the site to turn the sod for the bridge the second time. When the Obi of Onitsha, forthright and scholarly, reminded him that he had done this in the past, Obasanjo told the foremost Southeast traditional ruler that he was a liar, in the full presence of the Chiefs and Oracles in his palace.
The attention of Ime Obi Onicha (The Palace) has been drawn to a State House Press Release of January 2, 2023 by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), titled MORALLY SQUALID OBASANJO ATTACKS LEADERS OUT OF FRUSTRATION.
His Majesty, Nnaemeka Achebe, CFR, mni, Obi of Onitsha, by his position as traditional and natural ruler, should normally not engage publicly in high level discourse on affairs of State between two of our highly respected national leaders, President Muhammad Buhari, GCFR and former President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR.
However, the Palace deems it absolutely necessary to ensure that public statements relating to our monarch are factually correct. Accordingly, the Palace would like to state categorically that His Majesty was never involved in any sod turning ceremony for the Second River Niger Bridge during the first tenure of President Obasanjo as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and, therefore, could not have engaged in any altercation with the then President as stated in the above press release.
The only involvement of His Majesty with President Obasanjo regarding the Second River Niger Bridge was at the very tail end of his second term as President during a low-keyed flag-off of the project when His Majesty prayed that the succeeding administration would construct the bridge expeditiously.
Onitsha people will continue to express their utmost gratitude to President Buhari and his Government for successfully constructing the magnificent bridge.
This is solely a statement of facts and nothing more or less.
Chinyelugo Osita Anionwu
Chief of Staff
Ime Obi Onicha