Soludo also claimed he is the father of the people of the state and labelled Peter Obi as “a brother and friend” despite their political differences
By Kehinde Okeowo
Anambra State governor, Charles Soludo has refuted claims making the rounds on social media that he had been contracted to stop the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi from challenging the outcome of the recently concluded presidential election in court by assassinating him.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday, February 25, initiated a process where Nigerians trooped to their polling units to elect the next president, who will take over from the incumbent, President Muhammed Buhari on May 29.
On Wednesday, March 1, after the citizens had waited for four days after voting, the election’s returning officer, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) Party candidate, Bola Tinubu as the winner and President-elect.
After the announcement, Obi, who came third in the election, rejected the results and hinted that they will be approaching the Electoral Tribunal for redress
However, a report surfaced on social media thereafter, alleging that Soludo met with Tinubu, the president-elect, and his son, Seyi, at the Imo State Government Owerri, where they struck a deal with the Anambra State governor to stop Obi from reclaiming his mandate through the court as well as “assassinate” the LP candidate.
The report further claimed that the former Central Bank governor was paid $5 million to “assassinate” the LP candidate and push the blame to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, a group leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra.
Reacting to the allegation. through his spokesperson, Christian Aburime on Monday, Soludo denied the allegation.
He went on to say the plot was orchestrated by those who intended to cause chaos in the forthcoming state assembly elections in the state, urging people to troop out and vote.
ALSO READ: Buhari commiserates with Abacha family over death of son
He also said as the governor of Anambra, he can not harm the citizens of the state because he is the father of the people of the state, labeling Peter Obi as “a brother and friend” despite their political differences.
“If certain people could sit somewhere and cook up a story of this nature, it becomes highly reprehensible and certainly deserved to be condemned by every right-thinking person,” Soludo said.
“Ndi Anambra should also disregard all the insinuations in the write-up as mere falsehoods. They should come out massively and vote APGA (candidates) this Saturday for the State House of Assembly election,” he added.
Soludo incurred the wrath of Obi’s followers, better known as ‘Obidients” after he predicted in November, that the LP candidate will not win the 2023 presidential election because he lacked political structure and has poor voting strength in the South-east, where he hails from.