By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State has taken a swipe at the State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, over his incessant trips abroad and for imposing COVID-19 curfew on the state from overseas.

Speaking on Monday at a press conference in Awka, the State Secretary of the APC, Chukwuma Agufugo, described the governor’s monthly trip abroad as abnormal, saying that it is a depletion of the state funds that should have been channeled to the development of infrastructure.

“The economy is dwindling. It’s very pathetic and the governor has travelled again in the presence of the surging of the pandemic,” he said.

Agufugo, who was reacting to the announcement of a 9pm to 6pm curfew in the state over increasing cases of COVID-19, appealed to the ruling party in the state, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the State House of Assembly to call the governor to order.

He said: “It’s abnormal that a governor, every other month, if he is not abroad, his wife is abroad. It’s depletion of Anambra State funds – money that should have been channeled to the development of infrastructure. The economy is dwindling. It’s very pathetic and the governor has travelled again in the presence of the surging of the pandemic.

“Every day, you see an increase of the COVID-19 and the governor of the state is abroad, taking leave, not even having the courtesy of transmitting power to his deputy, officially. It calls for concern.

“We call on him to cut short his trip and come back to Anambra to address the needs of the people. He cannot see the real issues in Anambra from America. Obiano should come back and rule Anambra from Anambra.”

News Expressreports that Obiano, who is in Huston, USA, had on Friday through a public announcement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Solo Chukwuwlobe, imposed a 9pm to 6am curfew on the state over increasing cases of COVID-19

The governor also threatened to shut down markets in the state if the traders continued to flout COVID-19 protocols.

However, the Commissioner of Information and Public Enlightenment, C Don Adinuba, in his response dismissed concerns raised by the opposition party, saying that the governor was on a business trip.

“First of all, the governor has not travelled abroad in one year. He is actually in Houston, which is the oil centre of the world, negotiating for Anambra Refinery and Orient Petroleum and those who would want to investing on our crude oil in Aguleri. He is staying only for few days,” Adinuba said.