Soludo appoints and 80-member star-studded transition committee
By Emma Ogbuehi
Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra State Governor-elect, on Thursday unveiled an 80-member transition committee that will help him usher in his government on March 17, 2022.
TheNiche had exclusively reported this morning that the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) who won the November 6, 2021 Anambra governorship election in a landslide had tapped Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education, as the chairperson of his transition committee.
Soludo won the election convincingly, winning outright in 19 out of the 21 local governments in the state, on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The inauguration of the committee will take place on Thursday, January 20, at the Agulu Lake (Golden Tulip) Hotel, Awka.
A statement titled, “Anambra 2022 Governorship Transition Committee,” by the Anambra State Governor-Elect, Chukwuma C. Soludo Secretariat, said “Transition Committee will liaise with a team set up by the government of Anambra State to ensure a seamless transition from the Governor Willie Obiano’s administration to a Chukwuma Charles Soludo-led administration as from 17th March, 2022.”
“The full Terms of Reference for the Committee as well as its mode of operation will be communicated during the inauguration/first plenary sessions scheduled for 19- 22nd January, 2022 at the Golden Tulip (Agulu Lake) Hotel, Anambra State.
Members are expected to arrive on Wednesday, January 19 while the inauguration and first plenary sessions will start on the January 20.
Apart from Ezekwesili who will chair the committee, others members are Prof. Benedict Okey Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank), Prof. Pat Utomi, professor of political economy, management expert and former presidential aspirant, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Alex Otti, former MD of the defunct Diamond Bank, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN.
Others include Rt. Hon. Uche Okafor, Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Mr. Steve Nworga, Chief Osita Chidoka, Hon (Dr) Ben Nwankwo, Hon Charles Odedo, Barr Tony Ifeanya, Mr. Ferdinand Agu, former DG of NIMASA, Prof. Osita Ogbu, a professor of economics at the University of Nigeria, Minister of National Planning from 2005 to 2006 and former Chief Economic Advisor to the President of Nigeria. He is a former visiting fellow of the Brookings Institution‘s Africa Growth Initiative.
Chief Chikwe Udensi, Dr. Greg Ibe, Mr. Coleman Uba, Chief Collins Chikeluba, Engr (Sir) Chris Okoye, Prof. (Mrs) Uche Amazigo, Barrister Pat. Ikwueto, SAN, Barrister Echezona Etiaba, SAN, Prof. Offornze Amucheazi, SAN, Engr. Emeka Ezeh, Chief Leon C. Mezue, Hon Chike Anyaonu, Hon Evarist Uba, Dr. P.C.J Adibe, Chief Akachukwu Nwankpo, Dr. Mefor Law, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, Dr Godwin Owoh.
Also included in the Soludo team of technocrats drawn from variegated fields of human endeavour are Dr. Greg Ugochukwu Ezeilo, Mr. Epundu Emechebe, Mr. Christian Udechukwu, Chinyere Ossy Okoye, Esq, Chief Don Eze, Mr. Chijioke Uwaegbute, Mr. Franklin Edochie, Mr. Dozie Okpalaobieri, Ms Nkoli Anyaoku, Ms Uche Onwuamaegbu, Mr. Innocent Isichei, Mr. George Nwangwu, Mr. Ikechukwu Nweje, Dr. Innocent Okpanum, Arc Henry Arize, Dr. Will Fleury, Barrister Udu, ormer Head of Service, Dr. Emma Ezenwaji, Prof. Phil Phil-Eze, Mr. Joe Anatune, Mr. Ike Chioke, Prof. Ifedioramma Eugene-Mary Nwana, Mr. Emma Onyilofor, Ms Prisca-Anne Nwangwu, Ms Chinwe Jane Okoli, Mrs Amaka Obi, Fred Chukwuemeka Agbata, Mr. Chinedu Nwoye.
Others include Dr. Nelson Omenugha, Prof. Nkechi Ikediugwu, Prof. Ike Uzochukwu, Dr. Emeka Okeke, Dr. Polycarp Emenike, Dr. Godwin Nnadozie, Engr. Ifeanyi Okeoma, Amb Uche Ajulu-Okeke, Chief Pat Ubajaka, Prof. Okey Ikeanyibe, Comrade Charles Onyeagba, Prof. Au Nnonyelu, Dr. Forster E. Ihejiofor, Mr. Odera Ozoka, Mr. ThankGod Ibeh, Prof. Sylvia Chika Ifemeje, Mr. Kanayo Nwafor, Comrade Churchill Okonkwo, Sir Damian Okolo and Dr. Chinedu Onyeizugbe.
A source in the transition office who spoke anonymously said the composition of the 80-member transition committe shows where Soludo was headed as governor of Anambra State.
“If you notice, many of the committee members are not even from Anambra State. The connecting dot is that they are all professionals. Even those of them who are politicians are equally technocrats. They have something to bring to the table.
“Soludo knows the stakes are Iroko-high and the expectations are out of this world. The good thing is that he is coming in prepared and well equipped with the requite skill sets to do the job. Anambra and, indeed, Alaigbo will be better for it.”
