A chieftain Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Chris Uba, has described a former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi as one the stingiest persons he has met.
Chief Uba made the remarks during a party meeting hosted by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.
Not impressed by the quality of champagne presented to them by Governor Ugwuanyi, Uba jokingly said in the presence of Obi that the meeting deserved better champagne and wine, not the type Obi served them when he was Anambra governor.
He recounted one of his several encounters with Obi at Government House, Awka, as then governor, wherein Obi served guests with cheap champagne.
He noted that the quality of wine was meant for students and when one complained, he would reply by saying that Government House was not a bar or restaurant.
Continuing Uba said: “The worst is that when one complained too much, he would start fondling with his calculator,.
“He will tell you how many schools and hospitals the money saved from buying costly drinks would help in re-building.”
After a hearty laughter by the host and those present, Ugwuanyi noted his observations but said that Governments that did not cut costs would not achieve much.
A former Anambra Commissioner for Information, Chief Barr. JoeMartins Uzodike, however, rose in defence of Obi while disagreeing with Uba.
Speakin, he said that Obi is not stingy, but manages resources very well by curtailing all manner of waste, extravagance, and inappropriate use of state resources.
“He deserves an award and should be held out for emulation rather than being made a butt for lunch jollity,” Uzodike said.
He added: “If not for his parsimony which some people mistake for stinginess, would he have ended up as a governor who did more than others in terms of Infrastructure without borrowing a dime, but instead left over 75 billion Naira for his successor?”
An observer, after recalling the role of Chris Uba in the political ambition of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, lambasted bot, saying:
“See what Chris Uba has to say about Peter Obi, while Obi was Governor.
“Same Chris is the man Wike is using to hijack Anambra delegates.
“This should tell you all you need to know about such an aspirant using such person.”