OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF ANAMBRA STATE, PROF CHUKWUMA SOLUDO, CFR, ON THE RECENTLY CONDUCTED LGA ELECTIONS – By Kingsley Ubani, Concerned Young Anambrarian
Odenigbo,
I am constrained to pour out my heart to you over the outcome of the just conducted Anambra Local Government elections. As someone who have taken time to read many of your lengthy speeches, some of which include the inaugural speech which you delivered on March 17, 2022, during your swearing in as the Governor of our beloved state – the speech contains four thousand eight hundred and ten (4,810) words, making it the most lengthy inaugural speech I’ve come across, and I dare say the most lengthy in the history of Nigeria. For context, the 2nd term inaugural speech of your predecessor, Chief Willie Obiano contains 2,420 words and the last inaugurated Nigerian Governor, Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State delivered a 2,500 worded inaugural speech. I often tie the length of speeches to passion – the lengthier the speech the more passionate I consider the writer on the subject. So I rate you high in terms of passion for governance!
Continuing with your speeches, Mr Governor. You also delivered an acceptance speech entitled: “A Divine Journey Whose Time Has Come”. The speech which I consider brief by your standards, contained just 1130 words – possibly the longest acceptance speech by a Nigerian elected official. The length of your speeches depicts your celebral nature and public communication skills.
Your Excellency, I am not done with your speeches yet. In your first public outing as Governor-elect on January 29, 2022, you delivered a speech on the First Graduation Day of the SPPG Pioneer Class of 2021 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. Your 2,340 worded speech on that day was entitled “The Purpose and Price of Disruptive Change”.
In your address to the graduands, you clearly communicated your disdain for the “non productive” political class. These were your words, Your Excellency:
“Politics has become big business. Appointment or election into public office is seen largely as an opportunity to “eat” rather than a call to selfless service. There is an army of rich (big men) who have never worked or done any productive work in their life and believe that it is their right to expect something for nothing.”, Continuing you said, “Oil is on its way out, but dismantling the DECADES-OLD debilitating institutions and politics around it won’t be a tea party.”
As I went through your words that faithful day, I sensed a departure from the usual way of government appointments in Anambra state and you proved me right after you were sworn in two months later! Your simple governance style gave me a rush of excitement and vindication, particularly as someone who was relieved from my then State Government Job, because of my writings against your predecessor and his administration. I am in a better place now anyway. The misappropriation of Anambra’s collective patrimony in the last administration was evident in the number of appointees of the Ex-Governor that sought for elective positions, having amassed wealth in government.
Luckily for Ndi Anambra, the current set of government appointees will not be that “fortunate” as I consider you a more prudent Governor. I commiserate with your appointees, and like I stated the last time I wrote a piece on you, I hope you have plans to adequately reward the ones among them who make the sacrifice to the end.
Mr Governor, I know that you are so far happy with the praises and eulogies in the preceding paragraphs of this article. However, this piece is not to pour encomiums on you. You have aides whose Job is all about that! So I therefore warn that reading the rest of this piece might be risky, as I intend to be more brutal with my words moving forward.
Prof, even though our part is yet to cross, I have observed you as someone who is intentional about making history as Governor. I know this, because in your inaugural speech you mentioned the word HISTORY three (3) times. You have also used the word HISTORY BECKONS twice in two of your notable speeches.
But today, permit me to borrow the exact words you used when you last released a lengthy public speech. I am talking about your 4,200 worded speech on the chances of the candidates that contested the 2023 Presidential election. The speech entitled HISTORY BECKONS AND I WILL NOT BE SILENT (PART ONE). Yes, the one that broke the internet. I’d like to think that your critics should thank their stars that the weight of governance may have constrained you from delivering the subsequent PART of that speech!
Mr Governor, with respect to the recently conducted LGA elections, I wish to emulate you in saying that HISTORY BECKONS AND I WILL NOT BE SILENT! I agree I may not have the same pedigree as you — Professor of Economics, Former CBN Governor, Governor of Anambra State — to have a voice that will count in history, but I believe that as a young Anambrarian who lives, works and is raising a young family in Anambra, I have a stake in the state. Possibly, a higher stake than you. As a younger person I have more to lose if the standard you and ANSIEC set in the conduct of last Saturday’s local government elections becomes the standard for future elections in Anambra state.
I had waited to read your statement on the conduct of Saturday’s CHARADE called LGA elections before writing this letter, but you are yet to speak. I don’t want to believe that you approved the various headlines promoted by your aides, so I may write another letter if I read your position on the election.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the following articles written by your hardworking aides: “Soludo Breaks History With Transparent LG Elections: A New Era for Anambra State” authored by my good friend — Mazi Ejimofor Opara. “Anambra’s LG Election is The Best So Far” written by another of my good friend — Amb Izuchukwu Adichie, and lastly “Soludo Deepens Democracy With Historic LG Elections” published by your Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime.
As someone who had served as a media aide, I understand the Job description of media aides. My friends and your aides, have done their Jobs, but at the same time, they have told bold lies to our faces.
Saturday’s election was far from historic, double far from transparent and triple far from being the best so far. It was a sham, to put it mildly! Far from the Soludo standard as I stated in my WhatsApp message to you. What do I mean by Soludo standard? The same standard you used to screen and appoint your Commissioners who can be hired and fired. The same standard you used to screen and employ, public school teachers who can be hired and fired. I was shocked that you, as represented by ANSIEC failed to deploy this laudable standards in an election that will produce LGA officials whose positions are statutorily 2/3 years. You cannot not fire them. They are the representative of the people, but sadly the people were denied the chance to choose their LGA representatives.
Odenigbo, as I watched your interviews during the supposed election, particularly after you voted, I noticed a smirk on your face which I interpreted as you fighting against your own values. I want to say that If you are copying your brother Governors whose excesses are already profound, please make a U-turn now! You are not just any other State Governor — you are Charles Chukwuma Soludo — Professor of Economics, Former CBN Governor! You should be different, and as much as I hate to say it, you and ANSIEC were not different!
Your Excellency, let me remind you of the concluding part of your inaugural speech: “History beckons. Seize this moment Ndi Anambra, and together, let us make it count.
Anambra: the Light of the Nation shines!”
Odenigbo, it is sad that you failed to sieze the moment presented by the LGA elections. You failed to make it count. The light of the Nation did not shine as the ANSIEC you constituted and endorsed took Ndi Anambra back to the blind and dark days of 2007. Saturday felt like 2007 when election results were announced while voters were still in the polling units!
In your beautiful speech at the First Graduation Day of the SPPG Pioneer Class of 2021, you stated the need for dismantling the DECADES-OLD debilitating institutions and politics around it, however, the conduct of Saturday’s election told a different story. As you know, the SPPG stands for School of Politics, Policy, and Governance. The students and graduates of the school are young people who are encouraged to join politics. Imagine for a second that one of those graduands you tried to motivate on that very day picked form to contest LGA elections and could not vote or be voted for, as was the case in many polling units on Saturday? Imagine it, Odenigbo!
Although I understand the pressure you face and the need for you to exert control on the LGA resources. I will like to remind you that, that pressure is not different from the pressure faced by some of your appointees whose families, kindreds and communities place huge financial expectations on because of their position in government, yet they fall short because of the necessary prudence stance of your administration.
I recently interacted with a state public school official who claimed that the paltry salary they received were supported with part of the termly fees the students pay. These fees which have now been waved by your government were an important motivation for them as teachers. We can argue that it is wrong for the students to be made to pay certain fees.
But the same argument can be extended on how WRONG it is for the state government to organize a sham election in a bid to control the local government funds? It’s all wrong Your Excellency! Excellence should not just be about others but also about you.
Now let me tone down my voice Your Excellency before you get angry. Guess what? I have good news! The good news is that all hope is not lost. You can still redeem yourself. You may likely get another chance to conduct another LGA elections in future. Please when you do, try and erase the memory of Saturday’s shenanigan. Seize the moment, make it count and conduct an election that is worthy of the name!
God bless you, Mr Governor.
By the way, this piece is just 1,809 words. I hope you devote time to read it like I also devote time to read yours.
Kingsley Ubani, 33, is a native of Enugwu-Ukwu in Njikoka LGA