By Chekwas Okorie
I have watched with disgust and utter disappointment, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo's vicious and vile vendetta against Mr. Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State and the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, for the 2027 presidential election in Nigeria. Mr. Peter Obi has not for a moment ceased to extend his usual courtesies and respect to Prof. Soludo at any given opportunity even as Prof. Soludo is on his vituperations on Obi.
Prof. Soludo has been hiding under the cover of supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to vent his animosity on Mr. Peter Obi.
- On the 14th of October 2009, Prof. Soludo emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the first off-season gubernatorial election in Anambra State and Gov. Peter Obi's second term election. Peter Obi won the election resoundingly and beat Soludo to a distant third position. This is Peter Obi's first "offense " to Soludo.
- In 2013, Prof. Soludo joined the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and declared his interest to contest for the office of governor. In August of that year, Chief Victor Umeh's leadership of APGA disqualified Prof Soludo from participating in the governorship primary election of the Party. Soludo believes till this day that Peter Obi was a party to the conspiracy to give him what he describes as the greatest humiliation of his life. This is the second "offense" of Peter Obi.
- Prof. Soludo won the November 2021 governorship election in Anambra State and was sworn into office on the 17th of March 2022. In the build-up to the 2023 general elections, Soludo had his chance to serve Victor Umeh the same bitter pill he was served in August 2013. He conspired with Chief Victor Oye, the National Chairman of APGA, who succeeded Victor Umeh to post the defeat of Umeh at the Party's senatorial primary election in Anambra Central senatorial zone. Victor Umeh promptly switched over to the Labor Party, LP, where he rode on the back of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of LP, to win the Anambra Central senatorial election. This to Prof Soludo is Peter Obi's third "offense."
The above three "offenses" are the real reasons Prof. Chukwuma Soludo swore to bring down Mr. Peter Obi by any means possible. It will be recalled that Prof. Soludo began his attacks on Mr. Peter Obi in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election by his unprovoked and infamous article titled " HISTORY BECKONS AND I WILL NOT REMAIN SILENT"
There have never been any altruistic motives behind the public posturing of Gov. Soludo to support President Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election. He is hiding under the cover of the so-called support for Tinubu to unleash his personal vendetta on Mr. Peter Obi.
TIME TO STOP.
Mr. Peter Obi is unarguably the most outstanding and the most popular presidential candidate on the presidential ballot in Nigeria today. The Obi/Kwankwaso presidential ticket is the most formidable combination in any presidential election in Nigeria after the Shagari/Ekwueme presidential ticket in the second republic. The possibility of the Obi/Kwankwaso presidency holds the promise of ushering in the much desired national unity and the elusive national reconciliation, which are sine qua non to peaceful coexistence, security, development and patriotism.
It is fortuitous that the National Democratic Congress, NDC, founded by Senator Seriake Dickson from Bayelsa in the South-South geopolitical zone, is the political platform for what is to come. NDC is a coinage from the erstwhile Niger Delta Congress and the first contribution by the zone of a registered political party to Nigeria's Party politics since Nigeria's independence. The people of South-South have every reason to be proud of this party that is on the way to make history in Nigeria in 2027.
Mr. Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso have contributed more than anybody before them in arousing the political consciousness of the Nigerian youths across the board. The mass followership of the NDC today did not fall from the sky. It is the outcome of genuine, sincere, and consistent engagement of the youths and the masses by Mr. Peter Obi and Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso over the years.
As a professor of development economics, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Executive Governor of Anambra State, there are several issues challenging the people of Anambra State that are sufficient to keep Prof. Soludo busy.
Prof. Soludo should be mindful of the verdict of history. He should also be mindful of the Igbo god of retributive justice, the merciless AMADIOHA.
There are families in Igbo land today who are still suffering from the stigma of the abominations of their forebears. A word is enough for the wise.
Prof. Chukwuma Soludo leave Mr. Peter Obi alone.
...Chief Chekwas Okorie (Ojeozi Ndigbo), is the founding National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
