The immediate past First Lady of Anambra State, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, has formally tendered a public apology to Governor Charles Soludo, Ndigbo and friends of Ndigbo over the incident between her and Mrs Bianca Odimegwu-Ojukwu in Awka at the inauguration programme of Soludo on March 17, 2022.
This is just as Mrs Obiano declared her intention to join the contest for the forthcoming Anambra North Senatorial District election under the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), the ruling party in Anambra State.
The public apology is part of her face-mending measures to assuage citizens of Anambra State and indeed Nigerians who were disappointment by her lack of decorum and character expected of a former First Lady.
Already, the public display has come with enormous political costs for her as she has turned out to be one of the most hated personalities in Anambra State for slapping the wife of revered former Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu.
The former First Lady, according to a statement released in Awka, Anambra State capital on Wednesday, said she is joining the contest to represent Anambra North in the Senate to empower the poor and needy, especially women and children.
Said Mrs Obiano: “My interest to join the senatorial race is in response to an overwhelming pressure and calls from my people to represent them in the Senate at the National Assembly in Abuja. As has been attested to by the good people of Anambra State, service to people, humanity and sharing love and putting smiles on sad faces are my priority in life, and I know that it is the will of God because the Bible says that God is love.
“Therefore, having witnessed and been positively touched by my ever willing disposition to care for people, empower the poor and needy, especially women and children, particularly widows, orphans and the destitute, my people decided that I should come and serve them better in a higher capacity.
“As a peaceful person that I am well known for, violence has never been in my character and I am grateful to several elders, statesmen, friends and associates of the Obianos, as well as countless number of good people of Anambra State who called and expressed their concerns and offered wise counsels and words of comfort after the unfortunate drama.”
Obiano, in a letter addressed to Soludo titled, ‘A public apology,’ Mrs Obiano, had expressed her apology for the altercation between her and Ojukwu.
“Permit me to use this medium to humbly convey to you my sincere, heartfelt and unreserved apology for the unfortunate incident between Mrs Bianca Ojukwu and myself on Thursday, March 17, 2022, the day of your inauguration as the new Executive Governor of Anambra State in which you took over from my husband, His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano.
“The incident, to say the least, was most unnecessary, unfortunate and I regret my action. It was an unintended action as violence is never in my character. Your Excellency, Sir, I hold your person, your ideals, the records of your great accomplishments in public service in Nigeria and beyond, as well as their concomitant colossal impacts in public policies in the highest esteem.
“All those who know me can testify that before and throughout my eight years as the First Lady of State, I pursued peace, promoted philanthropic gestures which empowered many of our less privileged people. No excuse can therefore be tenable as justification for such public embarrassment, no matter the height of provocation. Equally, I wish to extend the same apology to all the important dignitaries, the people of Anambra State, as well as the entire Ndigbo for that unintended embarrassment at the occasion.”
