By Uche Amunike
The recent tirade by Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, against Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi has been described as an act of envy by the Labour Party in the l South East.
Speaking, through a statement released by the National Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Innocent Okeke, Wednesday, he made the assertion and expressed the disappointment by the party in Soludo, whom, he said, had allowed hatred and selfish interests to envelope him, not minding that he was looked up to as a man of dignity.
The Labour Party called on Governor Soludo to have a rethink and retrace his steps in order to avoid disappointing all the people who looked up to him to set sterling examples as an exemplary Igbo leader.
Hear him: ‘Hate is a wicked state of mind that when possessed, can becloud one’s normal sense of reasoning. And this is exactly what played out in Prof. Soludo’s unreasonable outburst on Peter Obi’s Anambra government investment in 2014.’
‘Soludo through his hate for Peter Obi, was quick to forget that the investment and the fiscal savings came together. The incontrovertible fact remains that Obi saved for the future of his state (Anambra) N75b naira, $50m in each of the three existing commercial banks of today, and 3.5b in the International Brewery.’
‘He handed over this investment to a new manager (governor), who has never denied knowledge of the investments. Whether the manager (governor) took good care of the investment is another day’s discussion.’
‘And the former handed over to Soludo, now Soludo casting aspersions on Mr. Obi after 9 years he left office with verifiable savings and investment is uncalled for and condemnable by the entire Igbo race and Nigeria at large.’
‘The international brewery as we know it today employing 10,000 Anambrarians is not a bad investment and the depreciation of stocks is a Nigerian issue that have affected every company’s stock.’
He further stated that he expected Soludo to have been tactful and guarded in his comments, no matter how much he hated Peter Obi and especially, applied the wisdom of silence and at least, stand with the mass of the people for the sake of the Nigerian project.
The Labour Party National Vice Chairman maintained that they still loved Soludo and wished him the best in office, but advised him to retrace his steps while he still can, in order to avoid losing the support of the people of Anambra state.
He reiterated: ‘He should watch it going forward or he creates serious embarrassment for himself and governance as he too needs the support of the people to achieve.’
‘We still love Soludo and wish him the best in office as Anambra State governor but he must retrace his steps. Nigerians are wiser today than before, it is more reasonable to be on the side of the people to get things done.’
