By Chidi Akabueze

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It’s often said that when lies are being told for too long without being challenged or records straightened, they may be wrongly assumed to be the truth. This is what is playing out in Anambra State ahead of the November 18 governorship election, following the sudden realization by the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)-led government and its apologists that All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Barth Nwibe is the man to beat in the election.
So, in the “pull Nwibe down at all cost project” being sponsored by the APGA-led government in the state using state resources,  apologists and sycophants as foot soldiers, they are now consistently spreading fallacies, rumours and lies against Nwibe and the APC on different social media platforms with hidden identities.
One of such falsehood being peddled against Nwibe and the APC was the recent report on  www.anambrablog.ng alleging crisis in the Jim Nwobodo-led APC Committee on Anambra Election over “Barth Nwibe’s N5m largesse to the committee”.
From the language and tone of the fabricated stories, one needs no soothsayer to know where it is emanating from and the import. But one thing the APGA-led government and its cohorts seem to have forgotten is that Nwibe is neither a money bag nor is he desperate to be governor. Rather, he is a silent achiever who has wholeheartedly offered himself to serve  Anambra people. His acceptance by the people is the major reason his popularity has been soaring rapidly ahead of the poll.
Besides, the APC committee led by Nwobodo is made up of men of integrity, which include two former governors-Jim Nwobodo and Orji Uzor Kalu, former senators- Emma Mgboti, Nkechi Nwaorgu, Ifeanyi Araraume and others. So, how could any reasonable person try to impugn the character of these personalities by associating them with a paltry N5m inducement, if not for pure mischief and cheap blackmail? But if that is how cheap and gullible APGA apologists and government officials are in Anambra State, that is not the case in the ruling APC.
Neither Nwobodo nor Orji Uzor Kalu and other members of the committee are hungry or broke  to the extent of fighting over a paltry N5m as alleged by  APGA apologists and their paymaster. Most  members of the committee including Nwobodo and Kalu have more political value than Governor Obiano, who was a political neophyte before his predecessor Peter Obi railroaded him into Government House Awka as governor.
Looking at Obiano’s performance both in private sector and in government, it will be foolhardy to equate it with that of Nwobodo and Kalu when they were governors or Nwibe’s giant strides in the private sector so far. So, it is the height of delusion, deceit and hypocrisy for  APGA apologists in Anambra to be spreading lies about individuals that are more credible than their principal on social media platforms. Dissecting Nwibe’s record which is outstanding and in the public domain, it’s clear that he has never and cannot engage in bribery for any reason, especially in an election he knows he has what it takes to make the difference.  It will not be surprising to see more of such concocted and sponsored reports against Nwibe and APC committee members on several blogs in the days ahead, considering the obvious desperation of the  APGA-led government and Willie Obiano to return for second term by hook or crook.
But Nigerians, especially the people of Anambra State understand the apologists and government officials’ apprehesion, which is what will be their fate if Obiano is voted out of office on November 18. This is especially as Obiano’s government has not created or provided any meaningful jobs for the teeming youths since he came into office. Rather what his government is doing as the election day comes closer is to gather jobless youths, some elders and apologists and give them state money to spread lies against APC and Nwibe on  social media. That is part of the government’s youth empowerment programme in the state.
One obvious fact which Obiano and his apologists do not know is that the people of Anambra know what they want and no amount of razzmatazz or monetary inducement will save a failed government on  election day.
Besides, Obiano and his cohorts may have forgotten so soon  that election is contested and won in the field not on social media where everybody is today an overnight journalist, bloger and armchair political analyst without fact, verifiable identity or address.
► Akabueze, a cleric and research writer wrote from Nsugbe, Anambra State.