Tinubu’s visit and Soludo’s prayers to end south-east marginalisation

The goal of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, is always to win with his solutions. Soludo wisely took advantage of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to Anambra State on May 8 to address the pressing issues of the south-east geopolitical zone’s marginalisation.

President Tinubu, who referred to Governor Soludo as a friend, made a solid commitment to resolve all of the marginalisation issues brought up by the governor.

Governor Soludo praised President Tinubu for his Pan-Nigerian disposition, which was demonstrated when he appointed Ben Akabueze, an Anambra son, as Commissioner for Budget and Planning while serving as Governor of Lagos. He also thanked Tinubu for appointing numerous Ndị Anambra to his administration, particularly the appointment of Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu as minister of state for foreign affairs and Mark Okoye, as MD, South-East Development Commission. In line with what Tinubu did in Lagos, Soludo said: “Similarly, here in Anambra, one of my new permanent secretaries is from Osun State – Bayo Ojeyinka.”

Mr Governor lauded Mr President thusly: “We are deeply grateful for several road projects currently being executed by your administration that benefit Anambra State, running into hundreds of billions of naira, especially the Enugu-Onitsha Road, rehabilitation of Onitsha-Owerri Road, Phase 2b access road to Second Niger Bridge, rehabilitation of Oba-Nnewi Road Section II in Anambra, etc. When completed, they will be important game-changers for our people.”

Governor Soludo put forward the following ask-list on the table of President Tinubu: “Anambra remains, possibly, the gully erosion capital of the world, with one-third of our land mass under persistent threat, and the resource requirements to deal with this are far beyond the capacity of a state government. We are already spending tens of billions of naira on this, but much more is urgently needed. The Southeast and Anambra in particular are bypassed by the national gas masterplan despite abundant reserves of natural gas. We are not part of the national rail system. The Onitsha River Port, commissioned by President Shehu Shagari in 1982, remains a proposal, ostensibly because the federal government has been unable to undertake the required dredging. Only Asiwaju, the man who tamed the Atlantic, can break this 43-year-old jinx so that badges from Onne and other seaports can easily discharge at Onitsha. There is an abandoned strategic federal road project that links Anambra with Kogi State. Upon completion, the journey between Anambra/Southeast and Abuja might be shortened to about three hours — down from the current nine hours! The list is long, and we are convinced that systematically, these issues will be addressed.”

President Tinubu, who was bestowed with the chieftaincy title of Dikesimba of Anambra by Ndi Igwe of 179 communities in the state after having commissioned two landmark projects – the Solution Fun City and the Government House Mini-City as part of the initial steps on the path towards your audacious vision of Anambra as African-Dubai-Taiwan-Silicon Valley (ADTS) – made the firm promise to include Anambra State and the South-East in the National Railway Masterplan, a bold step that promises to open new corridors of mobility, trade, and interconnectivity for the South-East, the South-South, and the rest of the federation.

To promote the budding manufacturing and technological sectors, the president also promised to include Anambra State and the South-East in the country’s Gas Pipeline Masterplan, which is a vital tool for industrialisation and energy access.

In order to promote trade, mobility, and national unity, President Tinubu approved the completion of the federal highway that connects Anambra and Kogi State. This groundbreaking project would cut the trip time from Anambra to Abuja by roughly four hours.

Under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Governor Soludo also received assurances that reconstruction work will soon begin on the damaged sections of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, a long-standing infrastructure issue that is now at last to receive decisive federal attention.

President Tinubu added a fitting crown to his newly placed hat by promising federal support for ecological investments to address erosion in Anambra State. This is a very appropriate intervention, given that environmental issues of this kind continue to be the state’s top existential threat and are beyond any state’s means.

It is anticipated that Mr. President’s commitment to a sustained strategic cooperation with Anambra State and the South-East for complete security restoration will include Governor Soludo’s other crucial request, which is for the federal government to start operating the Onitsha River Port.

For Ndi Anambra and all Ndigbo, President Tinubu’s State Visit is a huge victory for justice, inclusivity, and visionary leadership. It also serves as a testament to the strength of the strategic partnership between Anambra and the federal government, constructive engagement, the Soludo administration’s purposeful governance, and the governor’s dedication to progressivism and welfarism.

A worthy display of friendship, one that goes beyond politics and is based on the common goal of a more united, progressive Nigeria and the unmistakable proof of progressives working together, is President Tinubu’s affirmative response to Governor Soludo’s ask-list to end the marginalisation of the South-East.

What is more noteworthy than President Tinubu jocularly requesting a piece of land in Anambra State to construct a retirement home after his term as Nigeria’s president?

With Asiwaju, a brand-new, prosperous, and united Nigeria is undoubtedly approaching, one in which justice and peace will rule.

Law Mefor, PhD, is the information commissioner, Anambra state. He can be contacted via [email protected] and on X:@DrLaw_Mefor.