Trending cruise-ship party video: Ex-Gov Obiano says daughter paid for expenses

By Christiana Ekpa

Former Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano has reacted to videos of himself and his family which trended on social media recently.

In one of the videos, the Obianos were seen partying in a cruise ship, while on vacation, with several white people.

Obiano himself was doing the filming, while the second showed the family celebrating a giant chicken in their US home.

Many people had condemned the former governor for the video, accusing him of looting the state treasury, before leaving for the US to enjoy the people’s collective patrimony.

But in a reaction to the videos, Obiano speaking through his publicist, Tony Nezianya explained that the vacation was paid for by Obiano’s daughter after he underwent intensive treatment in the US.

Explaining the video, Nezianya said: “Chief Obiano, his wife and son did travel on vacation, after he received seven weeks of intensive medical treatment in the United States.

“The trip was paid for by his daughter, a medical consultant in the United States, who was overjoyed that her 67- year old father could undertake such heavy and exerting treatment without serious complications.”

In the second video, Nezianya said: “The second video was recorded on July 4, 2022, America’s Independence Anniversary. Americans usually celebrate their Independence Day with rice and chicken, and Chief Obiano’s young son was seen in the video eating rice and chicken.”

He stated that the Obiano home in Houston, Texas was acquired before he joined partisan politics and won the governorship race of Anambra State in 2013.

“He bought it after serving for 12 years as the Executive Director of one of Nigeria’s top five banks. All his assets in Nigeria and abroad were stated in his Assets Declaration Form provided by the ICPC.”

He was obviously reacting to insinuations that Obiano may have bought the home, after his tenure as Anambra State governor, and with Anambra State’s funds.