I felt pity as I watched Governor Soludo caught up in an intractable quagmire, all of his own making. His first mistake was to try to say something that was irrelevant and which nobody wanted to hear. Whether Obi invested state money in buying shares in a company where he invested his private funds is not what anybody wants to hear. Standing against Tinubu and Atiku, Obi is a Saint and anybody trying to put Obi down would be seen as an enemy of the people.
Also, Soludo said something else he has no right saying. Repeadly stating that Obi would lose the election is the one that shocked me. How can a sitting Governor be debating with the electorates over who would win or lose election? Is he somebody’s campaign manager? He even predicted that the APGA candidate would beat Obi because, according to him, APGA had better structure than Labor Party. When I read this, I was so shocked.
Soludo showed lack of wisdom. He could have seen that nobody has been able to attack Obi without being destroyed. The most powerful prophet Fr. Mbaka is now in a Monastry prison for attacking Obi. Bishop Chukwuma is hiding in a corner now after attacking Obi. Even Reno Omokri got the whipping of his life. One journalist called Omoteseyi, who wrote an article titled Obi-tuary, has not recovered from attacking Obi. The streets are littered practically with corpses of those who attacked Obi. Why did Soludo want to become one of the littered bodies.
Overconfidence often insulates men from reality. Soludo must have gotten to the point of believing he could have his way on any topic of his choosing. So, he believed he could succeed where a prophet like Mbaka failed. Wrong assessment! When Soludo realized he miscalculated, the best thing would have been for him to keep quiet, and many of his friends advised him to keep quiet. But he refused. Hot blood was rushing in his veins. He did not realize that he couldn’t win this battle.
Today, to fight Obi is to fight majority of Nigeriabs frustrated by the Nigerian circumstance. If you think Obi will lose election, just keep it to yourself. I pity any public figure who takes the risk of fighting the people behind the dream of Obi. Sorry, Soludo. Next time, try to read the signpost well.
Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, has reacted to the strongly-worded letter which Governor Charles Soludo wrote about his 2023 ambition.
The letter, which was released on Monday afternoon, literally set the internet on fire.
In the 4008-word piece, Soludo dismissed Obi, one of his predecessors as a joker in the 2023 race, saying he would only deplete the votes of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and widen the chances of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Tracing the multiple defections of Obi from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to PDP and Labour Party, which he described as “transit camp” for aspirants who lost primaries, the governor said Obi himself knows that he cannot win.
Soludo also took a swipe at Obi supporters whom he referred to as social media mob.
Reacting, while speaking to the alumni association of the Lagos Business School at an event on Tuesday, Obi said Soludo remains his brother.
The United Kingdom and the United States have expressed concerns over the attacks and destruction of the Independent National Electoral Commission facilities across the country, warning that this portends grave danger to the 2023 elections.
The UK Development Director, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Chris Pycroft, and US Consul General, Mr. Will Stevens, said this at separate fora on Monday against the backdrop of the multiple attacks on INEC offices and violent rivalry among political parties in the country.
Last week, INEC offices in Ogun and Osun states were torched by unknown persons.
The electoral body had also said that about 41 attacks had been carried out against its offices in 14 states between February 2019 and May 2021.
Speaking at the Northern Peace Conference on the 2023 General Elections in Abuja organised by the 2Baba Foundation in partnership with the J-Dev Foundation and the Child Protection and Peer Learning Initiative, Pycroft said the survival of democracy in Nigeria is critical to Africa and the world at large.
Themed, ‘Vote Not Fight: Election No Be War,’ the event attracted eminent personalities including the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, Northern Elders Forum’s spokesman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, among others.
Pycrof said fears over the forthcoming election have heightened in Nigeria over the past few years even as he called on all stakeholders, particularly politicians to commit to peaceful conduct before, during and after the elections.
He said, “As we approach the polls next year, attacks on INEC facilities and personnel, violent clashes between opposing members of political parties or broader security challenges are all factors that threaten the peaceful and inclusive and successful execution of the elections.
“The largest democracy in Africa occupies a critical place in efforts to consolidate democracy elsewhere across the world. Credible, useful elections will deepen citizens’ trust and reinforce the foundations for democratic consolidation in Nigeria.”
According to the diplomat, a peaceful environment enables people to cast their votes on election day, without fear of harm, intimidation, or coercion.
He pledged the support of the UK government to Nigeria both in ensuring the smooth conduct of the elections and in sustaining her democracy.
On his part, Baba-Ahmed called on the United Kingdom and the rest of the international community to match words with action in their commitment to credible elections in Nigeria.
Lamenting the spate of violence ahead of the polls, the Northern Elders Forum’s spokesman called for adequate security measures to enable eligible Nigerians in various communities participate in the electioneering process.
On his part, Abdullahi Zoro who stood in for INEC chairman, tasked political parties and their candidates to play by the rules for in his words, “the credibility of any government is determined by the credibility of the process that brings it to power.”
He pledged the commitment of the umpire to doing a good job, saying “INEC places high premium in ensuring that the elections are free, fair and credible.”
Meanwhile, the US has insisted on credible and peaceful polls for the 2023 elections, saying the polls must reflect the will of the people.
Speaking at an open session of election reporting workshop for journalists, organised by West Africa Broadcast & Media Academy in Ibadan on Monday, the US Consul General, Will Stevens, added that the US government looked forward to seeing a free and fair conduct of the 2023 election in Nigeria.
Stevens said, “We really want to see a credible, transparent, peaceful election. That above all, represents the will for the Nigerian people in our programmes and our funding our ballot process, and encouraging people to vote. So people participate in a democracy. They feel like they have a stake in that democracy.
‘’When they vote, when they read your reporting, they feel like they’re part of the project of Nigeria, just like the project of the United States. So I’ll leave you with the words of one of my heroes, American investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett, who said, ‘’the smarter the journalists are, the better off society is.”
According to the Consul General, the US has also earmarked over $50mn for the training of journalists, Civil Society Organisations and technical assistance among others to ensure transparent 2023 polls.
In a related development, the National Peace Committee has condemned the spate of violence in the country barely a few months to the 2023 general election.
The committee which only in September brought all 18 registered political parties and their presidential candidates to commit to peaceful polls, expressed worry that in the past few weeks, politicians have conducted themselves in a manner that betrays the letter and spirit of the peace accord they all endorsed willingly.
In a statement titled, ‘Towards Peaceful Campaigns: Our Concerns,’ and signed by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Kukah and former Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), the committee expressed sadness over what it called “the deterioration in the communication of fundamental issues among the politicians since the Independent National Electoral Commission lifted the ban on political campaigns on September 28, 2022.”
The statement read in part, “When all the presidential candidates and the party chairmen signed the peace accord, they were committed to infusing a sense of decency, civility and nobility in the political process. The political actors cannot pretend to be oblivious of the content of the peace accord that they signed. Nigerians expect that as men and women of honour, they were committed to keeping their words.
Meanwhile, the new Kano State Police Commissioner, Mr. Mamman Dauda, has pledged to uphold the principles of the 2022 Electoral Act to ensure peaceful conduct of the forthcoming 2023 general election.
Re: History Beckons and I will not be Silent by Prof Chukwuma Soludo.
Part 1… Scene 1.
By Paschal Candle.
Ordinarily I wouldn’t have responded to this vainglorious and Empty Essay by Professor Soludo. But after wasting my Data and time reading this Trash, I want to set the records straight. I am not a fan of Mr Peter Obi and I have never supported Governor Peter Obi in anything. In 2010, I supported Prof. Soludo in PDP. My Ward then was one of those 10 wards Prof. Soludo won as PDP Governorship Candidate. In 2013, Peter Obi brought Obiano, I never supported Obiano and APGA because the Party was built on envy and lies.
I have asked myself, the letter released today by Prof. Soludo, is it necessary? I have wasted my time and data to read it carefully. The letter would be necessary if Peter Obi himself had responded to Soludo’s outing on Channels Tv. It might be necessary also if Peter Obi had authorised his spokesperson to reply Soludo. In that case, the reply should also come from Soludo’s aide, not him. In this case, Our Professor is replying to himself. He granted Interview and was replying to his interview. Is this how he got the Professorship.
So, the letter can be faulted on grounds of strategic purpose for Him (Soludo) in that the governor should not engage a mob. Professor Soludo belittled himself and his office by engaging the Mobs as he called them.
From Prof. Soludo purported and so called response to the trending issue,”All Peter Obi’s Investment are worthless. The Governor ended up saying nothing new. All the Rhetorics he is trying to portray, are what people are already aware of. The lengthy esay is as empty as anything you can think of. To Professor Soludo, what you said on Channels Television is very clear. Even ordinary Trader in Main Market understood you clear. You are just beating around the bush. You are a Professor of Economics or one time Governor of Central Bank, that does not make you the most intelligent or brilliant Igbo Man. You becoming the Governor of Central is just an opportunity which can come to anybody. You are just lucky to get it, not that you are the most qualified for it. There are people with two PhDs, yet they are still where they are today. Thank your gods who made it possible for you.
When I told some friends last week that Governor Soludo is on a clear mission to discredit Peter Obi. Some said it is not true. Just today, the news is everywhere that Professor Soludo is out to probe Mr Peter Obi administration. I thought it was a joke. Till this moment no official spokesman of Professor Soludo or APGA or the State Government has come out to deny that report. So with this lengthy and baseless esay which the Governor authored, every right thinking being will now agree with me that Professor Soludo is on a mission.
You are probing a man who handed over 9 years ago. Governor Obiano did the same during his tenure and found nothing. Now, you are towing the same line. We are watching. We want the Probe to be public. So that Ndi Anambra will know the pure truth. Bear it in mind, what goes around, comes around. We have seen BILLIONS you are mapping out for roads in Anambra State all in the name of STONEBASE ROADS. Even the companies that are being used for those constructions. We are watching also with keen interest.
Taking time to go through this Professor Soludo’s Envy-laden and logically error riddled offering, you can see that politically, Professor Soludo is confused and envy of what his Brother has achieved in the Political space within a shortest time. Ambition is not a crime. Mr Peter Obi contesting for President of this country is not a crime and I don’t expect everybody to support him.
There are many burning Issues in the country. We have serious economic and security issues. One would have expected our Professor of economics to come up with a blueprint on how we will address the economic problems of the country. Rather, Our Much celebrated Professor is discussing Personality instead of Core issues.
Professor Soludo described Supporters of Mr Peter Obi, who were mainly young Nigerians as “Social Media Mob.” What a lousy statement. This is a great insult on those supporters of Mr Peter Obi.
In the baseless Essay, you can see Prof. Soludo speaking from two sides of his mouth. He is urging Ndi Igbo to Support APGA as an Igbo Party in order to give Ndi Igbo voice. He said APGA has a Presidential Candidate. He also said in the same essay that there are only two Presidential Candidates. That means to him, Mr Peter Obi, Kwankwanso, Abiola and even his own Peter Umeadi of APGA are not in the race. So if Jutlstice Umeadi is not in the Race, so why asking people to vote for your Party Candidate, when you know he is not a serious contender. That is a ranting of a confused Professor.
To Prof. Soludo, Mr Peter Obi is not in the Presidential race. He is just catching cruise. The mammoth crowd that Welcomed Mr Peter Obi in Edo State and Abia State, are they out there for cruise. I challenge Prof. Soludo to organise 10,000 man March for his Party, APGA and Presidential Candidate in Anambra State, 1000 man March for the same man in any Nigerian State.
One of the angers of Prof. Soludo is that Peter obi left APGA for PDP while you Soludo remain in APGA. Let me ask Prof. Soludo, are you a foundation member of APGA. Soludo you left PDP for APGA. The same way Peter Obi left APGA for PDP. Your own is not a crime but Peter committed a crime for leaving APGA.
You said Peter Obi cannot be President from Jumping from one party to another. Did you Prof. Solduo not become Governor from Jumping from PDP to APGA? Did President Buhari not become President from jumping from ANPP to CPC to APC. It is very clear you are too jealous of Mr Peter Obi. I know you have not forgiven Peter Obi for defeating you in 2010 and for your disqualification as an APGA aspirant in 2013. I know you have not forgiven Senator Victor Umeh for that disqualification that is why you made everything possible to make sure Victor Umeh didn’t get that Anambra Central Ticket of APGA. To you, it is better APGA loses Anambra Central instead of Senator Victor Umeh clinching the Ticket. Yet, you claim to be a Christian. You are a sadist.
Mr Governor, you are not telling yourself the truth. What you said on National Television is very clear to everyone. So stop beating around the bush. You claimed that Mr Peter Obi investment is worthless. I have asked you, is Mr Peter Obi investment in Education Sector, Health Sector, Civil Service Sector and many others a waste and worthless?
I make bold to ask Prof. Soludo to tell Ndi Anambra what made his own investment in the mining sector Worthless? Or do you think we do not know that you sold almost all your shares and invested in the MINNING SECTOR, which you lost all the investment. Your saving grace was Governor Obiano who revived you and gave you the Governorship seat against all odds.
To Professor Soludo, he is the most intelligent Igbo man. He knows more than everyone. For those who didn’t know, It is on record that Prof. Soludo fought Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Prof. Dora Akunyili, even in death, fought for autonomous community in his town. Does a Leopard change its spots? Not at all.
Today, Prof. Soludo is the only economics and a Political seer of our time. He is the only one that knows who will win election and who will lose election. Since Soludo is a seer, why didn’t he see that he will not win in 2010. Yet he went ahead to contest for the Governor. Why didn’t he see that APGA swill disqualify him in 2013. Mr seer in Politics. I could remember in 2010, When Prof. Soludo was addressing us in PDP, he said he was the ordained Candidate. He will win the election and he is the Next Governor of ANAMBRA State. That Yar’dua wants to use Anambra State to test him. That his main target is the President. He is going to be the first Igbo man to be President. So they want to use Anambra and see what he can do. That was why he can with that useless slogan”AFRICAN-DUBAI-TAIWAN AGENDA.”
Therefore, Prof. Soludo’s letter in my view, is neither here nor there, and ultimately failed certain strategic tests, based on what is at stake for him. And what is at stake for Prof. Soludo. He wants to contest for President. He is supporting Atiku Abubakar to become President. After Atiku’s First Tenure. He will be used as Atiku’s running Mate during his second tenure. Then Atiku will hand over to him as Presidential Candidate of PDP. What a marvellous dream, Prof. Soludo.
I will end this article with this statement from Professor Madam Ngozi Okonjo Iweala about Our Lousy Professor, “an embittered loser in the Nigerian political space” who is “so derailed” to “commit intellectual harakiri by deliberately misquoting economic facts and maliciously turning statistics on their head to justify a hatchet job. “Soludo has shamelessly pandered to so many past leaders that Nigerians are asking one more time – what position is Soludo gunning for now?”.
“There is definitely an issue of character with Prof. Charles Soludo and his desperate search for power and relevance in Nigeria. Nigerians should therefore beware of so-called intellectuals without character and wisdom because this combination is fatal.”
Paschal Candle is a Political and Public Affairs analyst writing from Abuja, The Federal Capital Territory.
My attention has been drawn to some of the tirades on social media following my frank response during an interview on Channels TV regarding the “investments” Mr. Peter Obi claimed to have made with Anambra state revenues. Sadly, several of the comments left the issue of the interview to probe or suggest motives, inferred from my response on “investment” that I am opposed to Peter Obi’s ambition and therefore committed a “crime” for which the punishment is internecine abuse and harassment even to my family. Some people even suggest that the gunmen who went to attack a checkpoint at my hometown on Saturday 12th November but were gunned down was part of the mob reaction. I used to think that for decent people, certain conducts are off-limits, and that in Anambra, politics is not warfare.
Of course, as a Christian, I know that telling the truth can be very costly, even suicidal. Our Lord and saviour was crucified simply for telling the truth the people did not want to hear. I promised that I won’t be the usual politician, and will not knowingly lie to the people. I am not an Angel but rather than knowingly repeat the same deceitful character that politicians are known for, I would leave public office. It is a vow I made to my God and to my family. Only God knows how many days I will be on this seat but whether I am on it or not I will always say it as it is— knowing fully the suicidal consequences of telling the truth in a political arena, especially in a country where lying and deceit by politicians have become culture and celebrated as being “smart”.
Ideally, I should just have laughed off the infantile exuberances as many friends advised (I am used to this, having been in the ‘Arena’ for a while). I always re-read the quote “The Man in the Arena…” by President Theodore Roosevelt (1910) to remind myself of the burden of public office. Several well meaning Nigerians and Ndigbo called to advise that I should just ignore them. A respected Igbo elder-statesman who called, advised that I should just ignore what he described as “Peter Obi and his social media mob”. According to him, “everyone knows that he is going nowhere, but they are looking for who to blame”. After some 20 minutes of discussion, he advised that I should personally author a response— just for the records.
Everyone knows that I don’t follow the winds nor one to succumb to bullies, nor shy away from a good fight especially when weighty matters of principles and future of the people are involved. One lesson I learnt from my former boss and mentor, President Obasanjo, is never to be on the fence. I learnt that one must always take a stand: for better or for worse. I do so with every sense of humility, and leave history to judge. Most people have commended me for “tactfully avoiding being drawn into the Peter Obi issue” until now. Since I am now being forced into the Arena on this matter, I have a duty and a right of reply, if only for the records, and to also give the social media mob something substantive to rant upon and rain their abuses for weeks. In this preliminary response, there are some things I will refrain from saying here because, in the end, February/March 2023 will come and go, and life will continue.
At the outset, let me state that this exhibition of desperation, intolerance and attempt to bully everyone who expresses the slightest of dissent is reprehensible. This is Hitler in the making. When the revered Arch Bishop Chukwuma stated that in Enugu State, they were not obedient, he was ferociously bullied on social media. Any dissent is tagged a saboteur or, in my case, it could be that I want to contest for president after office or that I am envious of Peter Obi. Soludo envious of Peter Obi? Totally laughable! But this is the same person I was asking to return to APGA in March 2022 and contest for president and yet envious or doesn’t want him to be president. This is madness! Seriously speaking, the obdurate attempt to muscle the republican Igbos to maintain the silence of the graveyard is antithetical to everything Igbo. It is not who we are. Insulting other ethnic groups and religions or denigrating others is certainly not the path to Aso Rock. If this is not checked, it may indeed endanger the future political and economic interests of the Igbos.
In his time, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the undisputed all time leader of the Igbos but he had his arch rivals and even independent candidates won landslide elections against his party, NCNC, in Igboland. Obafemi Awolowo had stiff opposition among the Yorubas while Ahmadu Bello had his share of opponents in the Northern region. Today, no one has accused Afenifere or other strong presidential candidates from the South West of being “anti Yoruba” because Tinubu is a frontrunner, nor has anyone accused Kwankwaso and several other Northern candidates of being “anti-North” for not supporting Atiku. As a full blooded republican Igboman and democrat, I reject this despotic intolerance.
Yes, I fully understand the anger of some urban and Diaspora youths and some Nigerians who are dissatisfied with the trajectory of the country or with the candidates of the major parties and wished other options. Not knowing much about others, some see Peter Obi as the contrast they wished for. I get the point. But this is a democracy: the minority will have their say, but the majority their way. Translating anger and social media agitation into political outcomes requires humongous work.
For full disclosure, let me state that Peter Obi and I are not just friends, we call ourselves “brothers”. But we have political differences: he left APGA for PDP after his tenure as Governor while I have remained in APGA since 2013. During the last two governorship elections in Anambra in 2017 and 2021, he led the PDP campaigns but APGA won landslide in both elections. By the way, in 2016, he visited and proposed that I defect to PDP and contest the 2017 election against the incumbent Willie Obiano, but I declined. After my victory in November 2021, he called to congratulate me as I did to him in 2010. That is the Anambra way: we fight fiercely during campaigns but share drinks at the next social events. After all, it was the great Zik of Africa who taught us that in politics, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies but only permanent interests.
We sat next to each other during the Emeka Anyaoku lecture at Nnamdi Azikiwe University on 8th March, 2022 and I made an offer for him to return to APGA and contest as its presidential candidate. Yes, I did. In my mind, it was time for Igbos to organize their region politically before stepping out to bargain power with other organized coalitions. On his part, he tried to convince me that he expected APC to unravel while PDP would be the “only one” standing. We debated and he proposed that we could meet later to discuss further. He attended my inauguration on March 17. A few weeks later, he requested and I obliged him to use the Anambra State government house facility to launch his presidential bid under PDP. I was surprised to read in the news later that he had defected to LP (a party with literally zero structure), thereby attempting to weaken the same PDP he saw as the saviour a few weeks earlier. He paid me a courtesy call as the presidential candidate of LP, and we had frank discussions.
During our meeting, I reminded him of my proposal to him to come and contest under APGA. More importantly, I told him (possibly to his surprise) that I did not make the proposal in the belief that he will win in 2023 but that it would give us the opportunity to get our people organized as a bargaining force, with him leading the effort since I was busy as Governor (my immediate predecessor, Willie Obiano had indicated to me that he was not disposed to contest an election). 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. In fidelity, my government has provided the atmosphere for him and his supporters to operate freely in Anambra without any molestation (compare with treatments to LP even in other South East states), and allowed his billboards which are, in many places, wrongly placed almost on the roads. As a person, I have several shortcomings but being petty is not one of them. We have shown him tremendous goodwill—which he did not extend to the same Labour Party when he was Governor (Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, as LP governorship candidate in 2013 was denied the use of Ekwueme Square for his rallies).
Someone reminded me that a mob has no head and hence cannot reason. The same Peter Obi was one of those who told Ndigbo that APGA was the vehicle through which Igbos would organize to engage the rest of Nigeria politically. He was said to have sworn to Ojukwu and publicly that he would quit politics the day he leaves APGA. The rest is history. When he was the Vice-Presidential candidate under PDP in 2019, the emotive train then dubbed the ticket “the Igbo project”. As then chairman of planning and strategy committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, I cautioned for a more pragmatic approach but the emotive blaze of the time held sway. We were vindicated afterwards.
By the way, APGA is Nigeria’s third largest political party today (after APC and PDP, it is the only other party with a state governor and third largest presence at the National Assembly). And some people have the temerity to suggest that APGA’s candidate should “step down” for Peter Obi as the “Igbo candidate”. I wonder when Igbos met to choose a candidate. They even argue that afterall APGA supported President Jonathan and did not field a candidate then. Well, the fact as I was told was that no candidate showed interest under APGA then. Besides, APGA’s unwritten rule then was to support the party at the centre — which, if we apply this time, should actually be APC. But we have our own candidate. Recall that all the political parties had their primaries during the same period. Once Peter Obi realized that he won’t get the presidential or vice-presidential ticket of PDP he ran to Labour Party (a political party known as a transit camp for aspirants who lost primaries in APC, PDP and APGA), and the chorus by a vociferous minority now is that LP has become the “Igbo project”, and the APGA candidate who emerged the same time as Peter Obi should “step down”. Ridiculous! Now I truly understand that a mob cannot reason.
When will Ndigbo understand and learn politics, especially of Nigeria? When Bola Ahmed Tinubu defied the political wind of the time and stood out as the “only man standing” in AD and later AC (before ACN) against a sitting president of Yoruba descent, no one accused him of being “anti-Yoruba”. Indeed, everyone recalls that both Tinubu and President Obasanjo disagreed politically, and probably still disagree—but none is being accused of being “anti- Yoruba”. Under Tinubu, the South West strategically organized under a different political party, the ACN and went into a formidable alliance that kicked out a sitting president (in Africa?), and that alliance is not broken yet. Igbos, in their frenzied Nzogbu nzogbu politics, have sadly found themselves in a political cul de sac. Tragic indeed! When will my people smell the morning coffee?
Let me now address the substance of my response during the interview, and I stand by what I said. On record, I doubt that any governor in Nigeria has paid as much tribute to his predecessors as I have done during campaigns and in office. I always said that ALL of them did well and to the best of their abilities. Yes, Peter Obi was governor for 8 years (2006 -2014) during a period of unprecedented oil boom and prosperity in Nigeria (Nigerian economy was growing at average of 6-8% per annum, and oil price was highest during this time). I have seen all kinds of funny comments and interpretations regarding what I said about the value of his “investments”. Some refer to SabMiller and bandy all kinds of figures as to how the investment of $12 million is now worth less than $3 million. Of course, there is room for legitimate debate about the logic or quality of the investments. For example, people might differ as to the propriety of using taxpayers money to promote a company in which one is a shareholder in the name of “investment”, or even whether so called “savings” are warranted when there were dozens of schools without roofs or classrooms, or local governments without access roads or hospitals without doctors/nurses. A Bishop recently publicly advised that I should please try to construct the “Ngige type of quality roads”, stating that the ones done by his successor (that is, Peter Obi) had washed off, while Ngige’s remained. I promised and we are delivering quality roads that Anambra has not seen before.
For sure, prudence in public resource management is desirable and we are opening new frontiers in that area. People will however differ as to whether saving money in the bank account is a KPI (key performance indicator) for a government where poverty is escalating except where its institutions for absorption are weak or where the government has no robust/big agenda for transformation. Governments exist to save lives, not to save money. We can debate and differ on this— (by the way, I know when/how it is appropriate to “save” as I built Nigeria’s foreign reserves from $10 billion I inherited to all time $63 billion, and even after paying $12 billion to pay-off Nigeria’s external debt and going through unprecedented global financial crisis, I still left behind about $45 billion— Go and verify!).
Funny, in the rabid frenzy to grab every straw, they cut a clip during our governorship debate where I was stating vital statistics and they claimed that I was “praising” Peter Obi then while committing a crime now by “criticising” him. Hahahaha! Well, it is true that I said during the debate that, according to National Bureau of Statistics, poverty in Anambra actually grew (from less than 25% in 2005) to about 53% under Peter Obi in 2010/2011 but fell under Willie Obiano to 14.78% in 2020. Yes, poverty more than doubled under Peter Obi and more than 50% of Ndi Anambra were in poverty under him. Go and verify! I am Governor, and sitting on privileged information which I will not want to use against a political opponent. But on matters of facts, I will always state same as is. As the saying goes, you can fool some of the people some of the time but never all the people all the time. Enough said for now!
Where do we go from here? I listened to my friend Gov El-Rufai on TV explaining why the northern governors decided that power should shift to the South. According to him, they asked themselves what would their founding fathers—Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa or Aminu Kano have done in the circumstance. Today, I ask my people, Ndigbo: do we ask what Azikiwe or M.I. Okpara or Akanu Ibiam would do in the present circumstance? I worry that Ndigbo as Nigeria’s foremost itinerant tribe and with the greatest stake in the Nigerian project does not yet have a strategy to engage Nigeria—politically! Every four years, we resurface with emotive Nzogbu Nzogbu political dance (“it is our turn dance” but without organization or strategy) and fizzle out afterwards while others work 24/7 strategizing and organizing.
Let’s be clear: Peter Obi knows that he can’t and won’t win. He knows the game he is playing, and we know too; and he knows that we know. The game he is playing is the main reason he didn’t return to APGA. The brutal truth (and some will say, God forbid) is that there are two persons/parties seriously contesting for president: the rest is exciting drama! That many Americans may not like the fact that Joe Biden (79 years) and Donald Trump (76 years) are two frontrunners for president in their parties does not remove the fact that if both of them emerge as candidates, definitely one of them will be president in 2024.
As my brother, I wish him well and even pray for him. I told him during his courtesy call that my prayer is that himself or Prof Umeadi of APGA would win, why not? That is from my heart, but I also told him that my head and facts on the ground led me to know that it’s probability is next to zero (what I cannot say before you, I won’t say behind you). So I already told him my opinion. Indeed, there is no credible pathway for him near the first two positions, and if care is not taken, he won’t even near the third position. Analysts tell him you don’t need “structure” to win. Fantasy! Of course, LP won governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun on social media and via phantom polls, while getting barely 2,000 votes on ground. Creating a credible third force for presidential election in Nigeria requires a totally different strategy and extreme hard work.
Of course, Peter Obi will get some votes, and may probably win in Anambra state— as “home boy”. But Anambra is not Nigeria. If he likes, I can even campaign for him but that won’t change much. From internal state by state polling available to me, he was on course to get 25% in 5 states as at August this year. The latest polling shows that it is down to four states, and declining. Not even in Lagos state (supposed headquarters of urban youths) where Labour Party could not find candidates to contest for House of Reps or Senate. The polls also show that he is taking votes away mostly from PDP. Indeed, if I were Asiwaju Tinubu, I would even give Peter Obi money as someone heading one of the departments of his campaign because Obi is making Tinubu’s pathway to victory much easier by indirectly pulling down PDP. It is what it is!
The current fleeting frenzy, if not checked, will cost Ndigbo dearly for years. The South East has the lowest number of votes of any region, but it is also the only region where the presidential race might be a 4-way race (it is a two-way race in the other 5 regions) thereby ensuring that our votes won’t count in the making of the next president of Nigeria. Afterwards, we would start complaining that we don’t get “what we deserve” or cry of marginalization. During the 2019 presidential election, the five South East States were united for PDP but contributed merely 1.6 million votes to PDP which was about the votes that Kano state gave to Buhari. The emotions might run to heavens but politics-power is about cold calculations, organization and building alliances for power. In a democracy, it is a game of numbers. So far, I don’t see any of these— and 2023 might again be a wasted opportunity for Ndigbo! What is our Plan B when Peter Obi loses in February 2023? Some people prefer that we should play the Ostrich while Peter Obi toys with the collective destiny of over 60 million Igbos. Yes, you pray that he wins, but what if he fails as he is certain to? The Bible says that my people perish for lack of knowledge. As the saying goes, only those who Plan can control the future. Ndigbo, wake up and smell the coffee!
What would Zik of Africa or M.I. Okpara do in this circumstance? Our founding fathers understood that in politics, you don’t get what you deserve but what you bargain/negotiate, and you negotiate with your organization and VOTES. Not social media militancy or bullying (where over 90% of actual voters are not on social media)! Our fathers built alliances with other major political parties in other regions (not with socio-cultural groups that don’t command any votes), and Ndigbo were in the reckoning in the first and second republics. After the elections, we will see how many votes any of the leaders of the socio-cultural groups will get for Peter Obi from their wards. Sometimes I even sense a conspiracy to nudge us on a path to nowhere thereby further pushing us into irrelevance, and I pray that I am wrong. Just my two cents!
It is not too late for Ohanaeze Ndigbo and progressive Igbo leaders to pre-emptively start charting a pragmatic future for Ndigbo in Nigeria after the elections. Armchair social media analysts can have the luxury of fantasizing with wild speculations. Right or wrong, they earn their pay and with no consequences. For us as leaders, the lives of tens of millions are at stake. We have a historic duty to act and being silent or politically correct is not an option. For starters, Ohanaeze should study the report of my committee (planning and strategy) in 2019. It may still be relevant today. Second, Ndigbo should seriously study the MoU signed at the Yar’Adua Centre in 2010. The leader of Igbo Political Association, Chief Simon Okeke and our members are still there. Thirdly and for me, Ndigbo should strategize and bargain especially with the TWO candidates likely to be president on at least four central issues:
A) Lasting peace and security in the South East, including the release and engagement with Nnamdi Kanu.
B) South East Economic transformation agenda and the FGN’s Marshall Plan for the South East as promised since the end of the Civil War (the post war ‘reconstruction’). We appreciate the Second Niger Bridge and recent contract for MTN to reconstruct the Onitsha-Enugu expressway. But the rail-lines to the five state capitals, speedy access to the sea, highways linking South East to the North and South South, addressing our existential threat as gully erosion capital of Africa, Free Trade and Export Processing Zones, etc.
C) Restructuring Agenda for Nigeria that devolves powers/resources to the subnational entities and in which it would no longer matter where the President comes from.
D) Levelling the playing field for the unleashing of the private sector and the full participation of Ndigbo in the economic and governance space; etc.
To conclude, let me once again wish my brother Peter Obi good luck. He should have fun and enjoy the fleeting frenzy of the moment. But he must moderate the desperation as exhibited by his social media mob. There is a limit to propaganda. A mob action often reflects the character of its leader. No one has a monopoly of social media violence, and no one should play God. Life won’t end by February/March 2023.
I hope that after February 2023, Peter Obi will return to APGA (the party that made him everything he is politically) as I offered him on 8th March, 2022 and begin the hard work, if he truly wants to be president of Nigeria. It won’t happen by desperately jumping from one party to another or by unleashing a social media mob on everyone who slightly disagrees with you. I decided to pen my views personally — again for the records. On this, I don’t mind being a one man minority. As history beckons, my conscience and sense of duty to my people dictate that I should never be silent. I will happily accept the judgment of history for standing by the truth!
The Commissioner for Budget & Economic Planning, Ms Chiamaka Nnake has urged ndi Anambra to watch out for the 2023 budget which shall focus on key deliverable projects.
In company with her was the Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu and Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Christian Aburime.
The 2023 proposed budget is at a sum of N258,984,875,905 approximately at N259 billion.
This is compared to the revised 2022 budget of N169.6 billion.
The capital expenditure increased by 51.1% from N108.2 billion in the 2022 revised budget to N163.5 billion.
While the recurrent expenditure increased by 55.6% from N61.4 billion to N95.5 billion in the 2023 proposed estimate.
Every budget has its capital and recurrent. The capital expenditure accounts for 63.1% of the budget size while the recurrent accounts for 36.9% of the budget size.
Key infrastructural projects account for 55.4% of the capital expenditure and 35% of the entire budget size.
The composition of recurrent budget includes; salaries (21.6%) of the recurrent expenditure, social benefits (15.2%), overhead (30.5%), loan repayment (17.5%) amongst others.
Sectorial allocation covers four broad sectors which includes the administrative sector, economic sector, law & justice sector, social sector.
The capital expenditure within the administrative sector accounts for 6.8% of the capital budget.
The economic sector accounts for 72.5%.
Law and justice sector accounts for 2.1% while the social sector accounts for 15.2% of the capital budget size.
The 2023 budget will highlight key deliverable projects ndi Anambra can feel, touch and experience.
The Leisure park project that will be delivered by the Ministry of Culture, Entertainment and Industry has a budget of N7.5 billion.
Under the Ministry of Education, the state Government is revamping the educational system with a budget of N8.4 billion, a mass improvement of N2.2 billion estimated in budget appropriated in 2022.
The health system have a budget size of N6.2 billion.
The site design, preparation of industrial city and Export Processing Zone under the Ministry of Works has a budget of N2 billion.
Legal outreach and mass mobilization of ndi Anambra delivered by Ministry of Information has a budget of N200 million.
Completion of ongoing road projects and construction of new ones which will be delivered by the Ministry of Works is budgeted at N70 billion.
Urban regeneration for Anambra which shall come up with iconic designs, road mapping and giving Anambra a facelift is budgeted at N2.5 billion under the Ministry of Works.
For Ministry of Youths, two key projects shall be delivered; development of Anambra innovation and business district is budgeted at N1 billion while Youth innovation and empowerment program is budgeted at N2.5 billion.
Women Affairs shall have a solution based cooperative for economic empowerment budgeted at N1.5 billion.
For Housing projects; Government House, Government Lodge and Commissioners Quarters budgeted at N4.5 billion.
Sports development is budgeted at N1.5 billion.
In improving the transport infrastructure, the State Government shall revamp water transport with boats and buses for mass transit at a budget of N2.9 billion.
In sustaining security, security gadgets and armored personnel carrier shall be purchased at a budget of N500 Million.
Special intervention projects targeted at oil producing communities; Anambra is an oil producing state and based on 5% derivation for 2023 budget is at N500 Million.
Oil palm and coconut seedlings have a budget of N1.5 billion.
Looking towards a 24/7 power supply in the state, N5 billion is budgeted for the power project in 2023.
Revamping urban water scheme gulps N2 billion in estimate.
Desilting of drainages is budgeted at N1 billion.
Community Choose Your Project is budgeted at N2 billion.
Grants to Community Governance is budgeted at N1.2 billion.
Building and deploying a state owned data center will take a budget of N720 Million.
Lastly, counterpart fund sustained for 2023 will have a budget of N3 billion.
These sums up for N123 billion, 78% of the capital budget.
*HOW WILL THIS BUDGET BE FUNDED*
There’s an approved loan of N100 billion expected to be granted to Anambra State Government before the end of this year.
Statutory Allocation from Federal Government is N101 billion.
The Federal Government has filed an amended seven-count terrorism charge against the proscribed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.
The amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, was entered before the Federal High Court in Abuja, and contained all earlier sustained allegations against the IPOB leader.
As a result of the amended charges, it is to be argued whether the FG could proceed to re-arraign the IPOB leader on the amended charges despite the October 13 judgement.
The Court of Appeal had discharged Kanu of all the allegations as well as appeals on the subject matter still pending before the Supreme Court.
However, the federal government in the new amended charges alleged that Kanu had issued a deadly threat via a broadcast, heard and received across the country that anyone who disobeyed his sit-at-home order in the south-eastern states should write his or her will.
It also contended that the resulting effect of the broadcast had caused banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, fuel stations in the eastern states part of the country to shut down their business operations affecting citizens and leading to grounding of vehicular movements.
The Federal Government further alleged that the IPOB leader had between 2018 and 2021, made inciting broadcasts, received and heard in Nigeria, instigating the public to hunt and kill Nigerian security personnel and their family members, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 1 (2) (h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.
Furthermore, the FG alleged that Kanu had, between the March and April 2015, imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubulisiuzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, a radio transmitter known as Tram 50L, concealed in a container of used household items, thereby, committing an offence contrary to section 47 (2) (a) of Criminal Code Act Cap, C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, adding that he also directed members of IPOB “to manufacture bombs.
Senator Ali Ndume (APC-Borno South) has urged the Federal Government to slash the salaries of the National Assembly members by 50 percent to give it to the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, so as to meet their pressing demands.
Ndume stated this while reacting to the alleged half-pay to the ASUU members in Maiduguri on Thursday.
The former Senate Leader advised the federal government to constitute a high-powered standing committee of respected educationists and patriotic Nigerians to meet with the leadership of ASUU to address the burning issues.
He said, “Even if it means that the National Assembly will reduce sitting allowances or be paid on casual allowances basis whenever they sit at the Lower and upper chambers, by cutting the recurrent expenditure in the budget of the federal lawmakers to settle the ASUU arrears, let it be.
We only assemble twice or so in a week and get paid as such.”
According to Ndume, civil servants who worked from home during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic were paid their full monthly salaries and allowances.
He said, “So why will the federal government cut university lecturers’ salaries because they went on legitimate strike? Constitutionally, they’re fighting for their rights and privileges.”
Ndume added, “As a matter of priority and as a public servant in the legislative chambers, we do not work, so why don’t you just give us half salaries and then pay ASUU.”
