Ex-Anambra Governor Willie Obiano Reportedly Dies in London After Health Struggles

Former Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has reportedly died in London, United Kingdom.

According to SaharaReporters, Obiano passed away after suffering severe heart failure and complications linked to urinary cancer. A senior family source confirmed the news on Sunday night, describing his death as sudden despite months of declining health.

“His health had been deteriorating over the past months, but the final collapse came suddenly. We are devastated,” the source said.

Medical staff at the London hospital where he was admitted confirmed that Obiano had been in intensive care before his condition worsened. “He fought till the very last moment,” a hospital official disclosed.

Obiano was facing trial over an alleged N4 billion money laundering case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In July, the Federal High Court in Abuja had scheduled the continuation of his trial for November 25, after the case was reassigned to Justice Mohammed Umar.

The EFCC accused Obiano of misappropriating state funds during his tenure as governor from March 2014 to March 2022. At the last hearing, EFCC counsel Sylvanus Tahir (SAN) presented witnesses, including former commercial bank official Ugochukwu Otubelu. Otubelu testified about his management of the security vote account linked to Obiano, noting that the account’s signatories were the former governor’s Principal Secretary, Willy Nwokoye, and the government’s Accountant, Theophilus Nweze. He explained that he interfaced with them “daily and weekly” while processing related transactions.

Obiano served as governor of Anambra State from 2014 to 2022, after which he handed over to the current governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo.