Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State was conspicuously absent at the Southern Governors Forum meeting which held in Enugu on Thursday.
Sixteen out of the seventeen southern states were represented, covering states of both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) parties, with the exception of Anambra State run by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Three South Eastern states, including Imo, Abia and Ebonyi, were represented by their deputy governors.
Also remarkable is the fact that Anambra State is one of the few states in the south that is yet to enact the anti-open grazing law agreed by the Forum during their previous meets in Asaba, Delta State, and Ikeja, Lagos State.
During the meeting in Enugu on Thursday, the other members of the Nigerian Southern Governors Forum expressed satisfaction with the rate at which southern states are enacting the anti-open grazing laws with the exception of Anambra State.
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, who was the host, was present at the meeting among the South-East Governors while Ebonyi, Imo and Abia were represented by their Deputy Governors while the governor of Anambra state was totally absent at the meeting and did not send any representative.
A concerned citizen of Anambra State, who simply identified himself as Henry EU, while speaking to ElombahNews, called on Anambra State Government to explain to Anambra residents the reason behind the action of Governor Obiano.
He asked: “Why did the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano refuse to attend critical meetings of South eastern governor’s forum and Southern Nigeria governor’s forum time and time again?
“Why did the APGA Government of Governor Willie Obiano refuse to at least send his deputy as he has always done instead of declaring Anambra State totally absent from such a crucial meeting?
“Why did the APGA Government of Anambra State under Willie Obiano refuse to enact the anti-open grazing law as has been done by majority of the states of southern Nigeria?”
He concluded: “If the Anambra State government fails to answer these salient questions then it is safe to conclude that all is not well with the leadership of Anambra State and therefore must be replaced.”
