Controversy has continued to trail the feared death of the former governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, who reportedly passed away in faraway London. Obiano reportedly died of severe heart failure and complications from urinary cancer.
He served as the governor of the state from 2014 to March 17, 2022, when he handed over to Professor Chukwuma Soludo, who is also of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Weeks after his exit from power, negative reports on Obiano’s financial malfeasance started flying, to the point that his wife and family members purportedly fingered his successor as his major albatross.
It was not surprising that loyalists of the late governor vowed to vote for either the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in the just-concluded November 8, 2025, governorship election.
Obiano is facing trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with an alleged N4 billion money laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Nine-count charges were brought by EFCC against Obiano before Justice Mohammed Umar.
When the matter came up for hearing before the court, EFCC accused him of mismanaging about N4 billion allegedly belonging to the State.
In a hearing on October 7, 2024, the Commission presented two witnesses before Justice Ekwo, viz.:
Ugochukwu Otubelu, a former commercial bank employee. In his evidence, Otubelu reportedly admitted to having handled the security vote account under Obiano’s government.
According to Otubelu, the security vote account had two signatories: the former Principal Secretary, Willy Nwokoye, and the Accountant, Theophilus Nweze.
He said he related to both men daily or weekly while processing their transactions. He was billed to return to court on November 25 at the Federal High Court in Abuja in continuation of the trial.
Otubelu, who has since established a private business, claimed he worked with the bank from November 2008 to March 2023.
The transition of the former governor is yet to be officially confirmed. However, when contacted, Obiano’s personal publicist, Ozo Tony Nezianya, hinted that he had yet to receive any such confirmation of the news.
Nezianya said, “I can’t confirm to you; I’m not aware of such news.”
Born on August 8, 1955, Obiano is a native of Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area of the state. He was married to Dr (Mrs) Ebelechukwu Virginia Obiano, who hails from Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Area of the state.
