Posted by x-rays by ADELANI ADEPEGBA and DIRISU YAKUBU Many people are angry with Governor Charles Soludo’s recent severe criticism of Peter Obi’s performance as the governor of Anambra State, his dismissing of the chances of the Labour Party’s nominee in the upcoming presidential election, and his criticism of the Igbo’s campaign strategy.
No one anticipated it, but Anambra State Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo’s lengthy and critical essay on Peter Obi’s chances of becoming the Labour Party’s presidential candidate has people talking about a potential conflict between the two Anambrarians, as the residents of the state liked to be referred to.
In his article titled “History Beckons and I Will Not Be Silent (Part 1),” Soludo was frank in his assessment of Obi’s ambition, Ndigbo’s political future, South-East development and security, and other issues pertaining to Obi’s stewardship while he was the governor of Anambra State, as well as his contentious investment in a brewery company and others.
According to Soludo, the LP candidate is playing a game, and with the LP, Obi lacked the essential support system to win the president.
In reaction to criticism of his claim that investments credited to Obi while he was the state governor were worth “next to nothing,” the governor made the comment.
Using the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Obi ruled Anambra State from 2006 to 2014 before switching to the People’s Democratic Party and eventually the Labour Party.
Supporters of Obi reacted angrily to the former Central Bank Governor’s prior criticism of his predecessor, especially on social media.
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His essay on Monday has stoked even more resentment among Obi’s fans, known as “Obidients,” with many of them accusing Soludo of envy.
Obi seems to have verified Soludo’s claim that the billions of naira he invested on behalf of the state in the private companies had decreased sharply in his measured reaction to the current value of the investments by his administration.
In response to the accusation, he stated, “The one they are saying is worthless, we put $3.5 billion in International Breweries, during a meeting with the Lagos Business School alumni.
You could consider International Breweries to be a multinational corporation. It is a component of AB Beer, the largest brewer in the world.
“At one point, the share was being offered for N50.
Today, the share is around N5, so perhaps that is what was meant.
However, the total amount I left and that particular investment together amount to less than 5%.
Though the presidential candidate also made an effort to defend the sizable sum of money he left for his predecessor, Willie Obiano, his justifications failed to address the fact that the savings did not lower the state’s poverty rate, which according to Soludo increased from less than 25% in 2005 to about 53% under Obi in 2010/2011 but decreased under Obiano to 14.78% in 2020.
However, despite the social media vituperations, it appeared that Soludo’s attempt to front-load the important concerns was lost in the hysteria that followed his piece.
Nobody is discussing Ndigbo’s political future or how alliances and negotiations might help them achieve their goals.
In order to solve the issue plaguing the South-East area, Soludo had encouraged South-East leaders to strategize and negotiate with the two candidates most likely to win the general elections in 2023.
The jailed Indigenous People of Biafra leader Nnamdi Kanu’s release, as well as South-East economic change and restructuring, were among the issues the economics expert claimed that negotiating was important to resolve.
Additionally, he emphasized the necessity of projects such as free trade zones, export processing zones, motorways connecting the South-East to the North and South, and rail lines to the five state capitals.
As his opponents appeared to be viewing his position through an ethnic lens, the governor’s concerns that the attempt to intimidate people who were not in favor of Obi’s presidential ambition may damage the future political and economic interests of the Igbos did not also receive any questioning.
The governor made the case that the South-East needed to form strategic partnerships in order to lead the nation by citing Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate. By pointing out that the current Nzogbu song and dance method would get Ndigbo nowhere, he rejected the claims that he was likely opposed to Obi’s aspiration.