Dr. Willie Obiano has been sworn in as the new Executive Governor of Anambra State.

The swearing-in held at the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, and was conducted by the state Chief Judge, Justice Peter Umeadi, in front of a mammoth crowd.

The swearing-in brings to an end, the 8 years of Governor Peter Obi’s administration, as he bows out of office amidst chants of excitement from the people of Anambra State who commended his administration as having performed creditably well.

Taking the oath of office, the new governor, who was sworn in alongside his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, emphasized security, power, and agriculture as areas of priority.

Former Governor, Peter Obi, expressed pride in the Anambra he was leaving behind. He recalled that when he assumed office in 2006, there was no office for him to move into and no official car for him, adding that his successor, Obiano was lucky to have things in place.

Emphasizing the financial stability of the state to accommodate more development, Obi went further to solicit support from the people for the new governor.

The Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, among many other dignitaries from within and outside the country graced the occasion that was acclaimed to be the first time an outgoing governor would be witnessing the swearing in of an incoming governor. Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter-party Matters, Ndii Obi, represented the President at the ceremony.

Born in 1955, the new Anambra governor, Chief Obiano, a native of Agulueri-Otu in Anambra-East local government area in the North senatorial district, obtained a B.Sc. in Accountancy from the University of Lagos in 1979 and MBA in Marketing from the same university in 1993. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and a former assistant director of the Fidelity Bank Plc.

A thanksgiving mass was held on Sunday, March 16, to mark the end of the outgoing state Governor Peter Obi’s eight-year administration at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Awka, the state capital, and to pray for the success of In-coming Governor Chief Obiano and his deputy Dr Nkem Okeke.

At the mass, the bishop of Awka Catholic Diocese, Most Revd Dr Paulinus Ezeokafor, declared that Governor Obi not only recorded an unprecedented development in the state, but has also laid a solid foundation for future leaders to stand on and take the state to a higher pedestal.

The clergyman, in his sermon, said God wanted leaders to show friendliness to humanity and that any leader who answers that call  had a divine reward awaiting him.

He noted that at the inception of his administration in 2006, Governor Obi changed the state’s acronym from “Home For All” to “Light of the Nation”, adding that to the glory of God, Anambra State is today the envy of the world.

Bishop Okafor urged the incoming Governor Obiano, his deputy, Dr Okeke and their team to have concern for human dignity, and work for the common good, adding that in order to succeed, the new administration should imbibe the culture of discipline, zero tolerance to corruption, be focused and brave to initiate and implement programmes that would take the state to a greater pedestal, and assured that the church would support the new administration to succeed.

In his short speech, Governor Obi thanked God for using him to transform the state and urged his successor to be determined to face the challenges of governance.

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