|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Claim: Reno Omokri, a former Nigerian presidential aide, claims that Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of Nigeria’s opposition Labour Party, was among the Nigerian state governors who refused to hold local government elections during his tenure as Governor of Anambra State.
Verdict: The claim that Peter Obi refused to conduct local government elections during his tenure as Anambra governor is FALSE. Findings show that Mr Obi conducted local government elections in January 2014 towards the end of his governorship tenure.
Full Text
Over time, calls for local government autonomy have been in the headlines, with President Bola Tinubu in support of the principle. In May 2024, the Federal Government, through Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi, sued the 36 state governors over alleged misconduct with local government funds, seeking to prevent governors from arbitrarily dissolving democratically elected councils.
On July 11, 2024, the Supreme Court granted financial autonomy to Nigeria’s 774 local government councils, ordering the Federal Government to start direct payments to these councils’ exclusive accounts. The court directed that only democratically elected local government administrations are entitled to these funds, not caretaker committees. The third tier of government has often been hampered by governors accused of mismanaging local government funds.
Meanwhile, on July 12, 2024, Reno Omokri claimed that Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of Nigeria’s opposition Labour Party, was among the state governors who refused to hold local government elections during his tenure as the governor of Anambra State.
In an X post (Reno Omokri, @renoomokri), he criticised Obi’s silence on the Supreme Court’s judgment, alleging that Obi opposed local government autonomy. Part of the post read:
“Those, like Peter Obi, who refused to hold Local Government elections and have been stifling the growth of Local Governments are not happy with the freedom acquired for Local Governments by the Tinubu administration.
“That is why the usually talkative Peter Obi, who posts on social media more than a teenage girl, has not said anything more than twenty-four hours after the Supreme Court verdict.”
As of July 19, 2024, the claim has generated over 63,000 views, more than 200 comments and reposts each, and over 830 likes.
Verification
A keyword search revealed credible media reports indicating that Anambra State had not held local government council elections since 1998, covering the governorship tenures of Chinwoke Mbadinuju (May 29, 1999, to May 29, 2003) and Chris Ngige (May 29, 2003, to March 17, 2006), until the elections were finally conducted towards the end of Obi’s tenure.
Before running for president under the Labour Party in 2023, Peter Obi served as governor of Anambra State from March 17, 2006, to March 17, 2014, when he handed over to Willie Obiano.
According to a statement credited to Obi by Daily Trust Newspaper, the delay in conducting the elections was due to court litigation.
However, DUBAWA’s investigation found that after years of postponements, local government elections were held in Anambra State on January 11, 2014. The elections, conducted by the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), covered all 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state. Here is a video showing Obi voting during the election, describing the exercise as peaceful.
This election occurred shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Willie Obiano, Obi’s successor, the state governorship election winner.
Further search also led to reports of Obi inaugurating the 20 elected local government chairmen, who won under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ruling. DUBAWA also found a video of Peter Obi swearing in the elected local government chairperson.
DUBAWA also found a Facebook post on the page “Anambra State,” where reactions confirmed that the election was held, although with concerns over the alleged disenfranchisement of some areas where elections were reportedly not conducted.
A Facebook user, Abiodun Chukwudi, wrote: “You guys are not helping us at all. How can you swear in 20 chairmen when you know some local government areas did not vote, like Nnewi North & South…”
However, DUBAWA’s further search revealed that the election in Nnewi North was declared inconclusive and, according to a Premium Times report, unanimously agreed to be held on Saturday, January 18, 2014.
Conclusion
The claim that Peter Obi refused to conduct local government elections during his tenure as Anambra governor is FALSE. Evidence shows that Obi held local government elections in January 2014, with the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winning 20 of 21 chairmanship seats. Media reports and video evidence confirm the elections and Obi’s inauguration of the elected chairmen, thus disproving Reno Omokri’s claim.
The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Bridge Radio 98.7FM, Asaba, to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.
