Stop obsessing over Obi, face Anambra’s problems — Obi’s camp tells Soludo
Peter Obi’s media office has hit back at the administration of Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, accusing the governor of becoming overly fixated on the former governor instead of addressing the state’s pressing challenges.
Spokesman for Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Idris Zekeri Jnr, made the allegations in a statement on Monday, while reacting to a recent publication from the Soludo administration urging Anambra voters to reject Obi and the opposition.
Zekeri said Obi’s camp had deliberately avoided engaging in what he described as an unnecessary political exchange, invoking the Igbo saying, “adighi ibua ayi ara (you do not join a mad person in the public square).”
According to him, the decision to remain silent was aimed at avoiding giving legitimacy to what the media office considered an embarrassing political distraction.
The POMR spokesman claimed that some insiders in the Soludo administration had complained about the governor’s alleged preoccupation with Obi during executive council meetings.
“Insiders in the administration had recently lamented that Governor Soludo spends half of executive council (EXCO) meetings obsessing over Peter Obi,” Zekeri alleged.
He further suggested that if Soludo’s alleged fixation had become a psychological problem, the governor should seek professional help rather than allow it to affect governance.
Zekeri argued that while the governor allegedly focuses on Obi, Anambra is struggling with several developmental challenges.
He cited a recent meeting in Port Harcourt where the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reportedly discussed the state’s preparedness for flooding.
“The only reason they gave to justify what the flood destroyed was that NIMET announced the impending flood, after they failed to follow the preemptive NINET prescribed,” the statement said.
The Obi camp also contrasted the former governor’s approach to urban planning with what it described as the current administration’s misplaced priorities.
Zekeri recalled that Obi engaged UN-Habitat to develop master and structure plans for major cities in Anambra and implemented the plans during his tenure.
He said the effort contributed to Onitsha being recognised by 2010 as one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.
According to him, the Soludo administration has abandoned those frameworks and shifted its attention to political activities against Obi.
The POMR spokesman also alleged that the state government had mobilised more than 500 internet trolls to attack the former governor.
He claimed the network could eventually expand to about 1,000 operatives based on their performance in producing negative content about Obi.
The camp described the alleged operation as a waste of public resources at a time when the state is confronted with infrastructure and governance challenges.
“Instead of obsessing over Obi, the governor should use those hours to tour Anambra and see how state funds are being wasted on roads that crumble while construction is still ongoing,” Zekeri said.
The former governor’s media office also pointed to recent large gatherings attended by Obi, including receptions at Nnewi Cathedral and the coronation of the Igwe of Adazi-Ani, as evidence of his continued popularity in the state.
It argued that political attacks would not sever what it described as a strong relationship between Obi and the people of the South-East.
Zekeri subsequently called on Anambra elders, religious leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to intervene and urge Soludo to concentrate on governance.
The statement also questioned the state’s economic performance under the current administration, citing the Phillips Consulting State Performance Index.
According to the POMR, Anambra ranked first during Obi’s tenure but has fallen to 27th position under Soludo.
The camp also compared the federal allocations available to both administrations, claiming that Obi operated with an average monthly federal allocation of about ₦3 billion, while Soludo now receives a combined monthly allocation of roughly ₦25 billion.
The statement argued that the current administration therefore receives in two months what the former administration received in about a year.
The Obi camp also questioned the administration’s record in the education sector.
It alleged that no new buildings or significant interventions had been made in higher institutions since Obi left office and claimed that recent NECO results showed a decline from the state’s previous performance.
The statement further criticised the state’s environmental record, alleging that Anambra has been branded among the dirtiest states while erosion continues to ravage communities.
The POMR spokesman concluded that the situation required urgent intervention from stakeholders.
“When a leadership facing monumental challenges chooses obsession with an individual over governance, something is seriously wrong,” the statement said.
