Soludo vs Peter Obi: Who is being clever by half? (I)

An Igbo proverb goes thus: One who fetches ant-infested firewood invites the visits by lizards. It is so demeaning that, in fact, Peter Obi is the one provoking Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, the incumbent governor of Anambra state, and turns to cry wolf when Soludo punches multiply harder in return. Soludo, though he hardly starts a fight, is not the type to back off, and he takes no prisoners either.

Prof. Soludo is now the Governor of Anambra State, after being an international award-winning Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, some 20 years ago! As it stands, Peter Obi, a former governor, needs Soludo more than Soludo needs him. Those goading Obi to think and act as if this is not the case will soon regain perspective and will see what disservice they have done him and the collective, a bigger picture that ought to enjoy the premium. Soludo can never be sacrificed, and those who wish it as a precondition for peace are seriously mistaken.

Soludo has proved that Anambra is in excellent hands, and the appreciative people of the state massively endorsed him before the election and raised billions of naira for his campaign. It has never happened in the history of elections in Anambra state, perhaps in the entire country. On November 8, the people thronged out and voted for the performing governor and returned him by 73%. Soludo won in 21 of the 21 local governments in the state.

There is indisputable evidence that Soludo has shown sufficient goodwill to Peter Obi. For starters, it was Governor Soludo who allowed Peter Obi to use the Anambra State Government House to announce his presidential ambition. Soludo offered Obi the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) platform to launch his presidential quest.

But what did Soludo get in return? A plot to unseat him as the governor of Anambra state, following Obi’s run in the 2023 presidential election as the candidate of the Labour Party (LP). After that superficial success, and believing that the Labour Party would take over the Anambra State House of Assembly, the party set its sights on unseating Soludo as the Governor of Anambra State, even before going to the polls. Call it a dastardly coup plot in civilian garb gone awry!

Against the background of the protest votes which propelled the 2023 presidential election, APGA and Soludo had to go into a herculean battle to deliver their party. It should be borne in mind the projection that the Labour Party would take over the Anambra state house of assembly, via producing the majority and going into alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to produce the speaker and his deputy.

What perfidy! Soludo had demonstrated consummate grace in handling Obi’s shenanigans. No amount of political legerdemain from Obi’s camp can whitewash Obi’s underhanded plots against Soludo. The one piece of advice that Obi should bear in mind goes thus: When one is in a hole, the best counsel is to stop digging.

Peter Obi has always made desperate attempts to control Anambra State, forgetting that Soludo, a better tactician and strategic planner, is the sitting governor. Obi’s allusion to being in the Champions League cadre while others are local players is neither here nor there. Any wannabe can make all types of claims.

He said he was the Governor of Anambra state, 13 years ago. It is perfectly in the Obi character not to acknowledge that Soludo had been the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and won awards at the global level. Soludo has justly been lionised as the best Central Bank Governor in Africa and beyond. He broke records by winning the awards back-to-back. If Peter Obi needs education on this matter, he should endeavour to read the book, “The Power of One Man: How the Soludo-Engineered Consolidation Transformed Nigerian Banks to Global Players”, written by Dr Ray Echebiri.

At home, Soludo was awarded the 3rd highest national honour – CFR – while Peter Obi is still on CON. Those who say Soludo envies Peter Obi should know that they’re not in the same league. As they say in popular parlance, “Shoe get size!”

Peter Obi should just keep to his lane. If this provocation continues, then the real comparison becomes inevitable, and all gloves will be removed.

Obi cannot claim he was not involved in the Anambra state election when his party’s candidate, Dr George Moghalu of the Labour Party, consistently used him as a poster boy. It is on record that Peter Obi made a video pleading with his Agulu people to vote for the Labour Party and shun Soludo and APGA. Of course, his people comprehensively ignored him and voted for APGA and Soludo. It’s noteworthy that Agulu has four wards, and Peter Obi, despite his efforts, lost all four. There can’t be a truer test of who is on the ground and in charge of Anambra state.

It’s in Obi’s self-enlightened interest to let Soludo be, lest there be a case of “onye-ibi” and “onye-ite” in full undress. A word, as they say, is enough for the wise.

No jobless politician should be allowed to distract Governor Soludo, aka Charlie Nwamgbafor, the celebrated Oluatuegwu, that is, “Man Wey No Dey Fear Work”, from being busy doing his duties as the Solution Master, who won re-election via 21/21, to wit, winning in all the 21 local government areas of Anambra State, which Peter Obi never achieved in all his struggles!

Those who are discerning can see in plain sight who, between the two Igbo sons, is being clever by half. Thankfully, for the wise, it’s never too late to regain perspective. There are, at least, two former governors of Anambra State – Chief Willie Obiano and Dr Chris Ngige – whose conduct and relations with Governor Soludo can help Mr Peter Obi keep to his lane.

Dr Law Mefor, PhD, is the commissioner for information in Anambra state.