Politics
Brothers at war: Soludo stakes political future against Obi
By Ori Martins
Two prominent South East sons, the former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, and the serving governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo have been locked in a high wired tiff, with the latter coming under serious hammer.
Soludo, who claimed he was under severe attack by supporters of Obi for querying the former governor’s acclaimed investments in the state on a national television, released what would correctly go down as a ballistic missile against Obi.
In the letter, Soludo maintained that Obi’s investments in the Anambra State was worthless even as the Sab Miller Breweries where the former governor invested about $12m about 12 years ago is running at deficit currently.
The erstwhile Central Bank of Nigeria governor heavily criticized Obi and his supporters for descending frontally on any Igbo who disagrees with them on the 2023 presidential election.
Soludo argued that Nigeria was not yet a one party state, therefore, every Nigerian, including the Igbo, must be allowed to free choose, promote and vote any candidate he so much loves.
The Anambra governor hit Obi hard, insisting that the erstwhile bank director stood no chance of winning the 2023 presidential election as the Labour Party, LP, which he is its presidential candidate had no structure or spread to accomplish such a dream.
Not done, Soludo made it clear that the existing national political coloration and dynamics did not support Obi’s aspiration. He pointed out a situation where LP party has no senatorial candidates in a major city like Lagos and other big cities around country, could not guarantee a presidential election victory in the 2023 presidential election.
According to Soludo, Obi would not win the 2023 presidential election because he is not a national project as he would not win other geo political zones in the country.
Obi, in a philosophical and subtle reply, entitled “Soludo remains my brother”, asked the Anambra State governor, who is a professor to do more than him.
According to him, “He (Soludo) remains my brother, we are very close. I remain prayerful for him. For other things which I didn’t succeed, God has given him opportunity to do it and succeed.
“So, if there is anything pending, governance doesn’t finish, people are still in government in America, so you stop where you will stop, other people will continue from there”.
“He is the governor of the state; he is my senior brother, he is even more intelligent than me because he is a professor, I am a trader, so he knows more and will be able to do things better than I am doing it.
“I have done my little own as a trader, now the professor is there he will do his own as a professor, the schools I didn’t roof he will roof them, that’s how government goes.”
As a matter of fact, almost the entire Igbo nation backed Obi in his reply. “Obi has given it back to Soludo. Obi was subtle and straight to the point and it was witty and punchy”, Uka Chukwu stated.
As Chukwu noted so also was the rest of the Igbo country. The erstwhile Nigeria’s minister of finance, Dr. Kalu Idika Idaku, equally lampooned Soludo.
“We noted that we were in opposing political parties and in response to my direct question as to how I might help him, he requested that I should just ensure a “level playing field” and let the people decide”.
“After begging him to come to your party and collect the presidential ticket and he refused, you then asked him how you can help him. He didn’t ask you to fund his campaign .
“He didn’t ask you to campaign for him. He didn’t ask you to rig for him. He didn’t ask you to hide his secret. He only asked you to ensure a level playing ground.
“This is exactly the character that has endeared millions of Nigerians to Mr. Peter Obi. This is why your boss Olusegun obasanjo is behind him.
“This is why Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is behind him. This is why Obiageli Oby Ezekwesili is behind him. This is why Pat Utomi is behind him. This is why the Afenifere, the oldest political organization headed by a 94 years old man is behind him.
He added, “this is why the Northern Elders Forum is behind him. This is why the Middle Belt Forum is behind him.
This is why the Southern Professionals are behind him.
“This is why Professor Uzodinma’s Alaigbo Development Foundation is behind him.This why Ohaneze is behind him. This is why the Zana Goni led North East Elders for Peace and Development are behind him. This is why the Prof. Abdulkadir Mohammed Gummi led Coalition of Northern Elders For Peace and National Unity are behind him. This is why the Muhammed Gwadabe led Coalition for Arewa youths are behind him.
“This is why a billionaire northern youth from Borno state Isaac Balami will come out and say “I have sold my majority stake in my aircraft hangar as well as my airline, to join my fellow Nigerians in the Obidient movement, just so I can more dedicatedly fight this struggle to rescue the soul of this great nation”
Kalu even described how northern youths are using Obi’s name in sing songs.
“This is why northern youths will chant Obi kererenke inside the bowels of Arewa house.
“This is why the revered Oba of Benin almost broke his official neutrality tradition by making very positive statements about Obi in his palace. This is why he receives standing ovations from the NBA to the ICAN conferences, from churches to mosques, from the youths to the aged”.
Listing other important places Obi has visited. “He has spoken at Harvard. He has spoken at Oxford . Today he will be speaking at the president Lagos Business School.
“Saying the same things; I won’t steal a penny of public money. I had opportunity for eight years and I didn’t steal any. I had the opportunity to acquire land and I didn’t. I reduced the cost of governance and made sure nobody stole. I gave priority to education .
“I was number one in health care. I was number one in security. I won an award on critical infrastructure. I left 50 million dollars each in three banks .
“I invested money in several companies. Nobody, including Soludo has been able to dispute these”.
ThIs is not the first time notable prominent Igbo wards will be engaged in such a dirty fireworks. In this dispensation, former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and the late Ojo Maduekwe, then a minister and subsequently national secretary of PDP, were drawn in a fight to the finish. Their fight which was a struggle for the soul of Abia PDP almost tore the state to shreds.
Also, former governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo and then governor of Enugu State, Dr. Chimaraoke Nnamani were engaged in what was labeled “Mother of All Enugu Battles.
In Enonyi State, Senator Pius Anyim Pius and Dr. Sam Egwu who was the governor never saw eyeball to eyeball.
“I can tell you that where two elephants fight, the grass suffer. That has been the case of Ndigbo whenever they are engaged in a battle of wits.
“Each time two prominent Igbo wards fight, it is the Igbo masses that usually bear the brunt. The fight slows growth. It brings down development just as it ridicules our nation”, Esther Udo, a lawyer noted.
She called on Ohaneze Ndigbo to quickly move in to settle both men as they are very important personalities in their respects.
