Former Governor of Anambra State Peter Obi has dismissed claims by his successor Willie Obiano that the transfer of Boko Haram prisoners to the state was concluded in 2012 during the reign of former Nigeria’s president Goodluck Jonathan and Obi as governor of the state.

Obiano had while speaking through his Senior Special Adviser on political matters, Mr Chinedu Obidigwe, alleged that the decision to transfer the prisoners was taken during a seminar organised for officers and men of the Nigeria Prisons Service in 2012.

Obi, who spoke through his media aide, Mr Valentine Obienyem, in reaction, expressed dismay about Obiano’s allegations, describing it as nauseating and childish.

He said he was shocked that Governor Willie Obiano would personally sign such a release laying claims to what appeared nauseating and childish.

Obienyem said that such a claim would only end up proving to the people that there were more to the relocation than they already knew.

Describing the claim as a blatant lie, Obienyem wondered how an action or a plan concluded by a man who left office almost 16 months ago was being implemented now.

He said, “The governor is clearly looking for an alibi for an action that was against the people. He should look elsewhere and not in the direction of Mr Peter Obi, who, since he left office, had opted to stay away from Awka and not to distract the present government in any way.”

Obienyem added that Anambra people expected commendation from Obiano for Obi for the N75 billion in cash and investment he left for him and for restoring the pride of the state when other governors were bequeathing debts to their successors, rather than trying vainly to drag his name in the mud through statements such as this present one linking him with the Boko Haram issue.

He said the present campaign was not the first, recalling that the same people mass-produced documentaries against Obi and shared them free to people.