By Emma Ogbuehi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the Anambra election, Andy Uba, has reacted to a recent challenge from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Prof Charles Soludo mocking him to come out and engage the Anambra electorate.
The APC flag bearer chided the APGA administration in the state accusing it of running a shadowy campaign anchored on propaganda and character assassination.
Reacting to a press statement signed by Mr. C. Don Adinuba and entitled “Soludo Campaign mocks Andy Uba, APC Candidate,” Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, director, Media and Publicity of the Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, SAUGCO wondered why two weeks to the November 6, 2021 governorship election, the Soludo Team is still embittered by the emergence of Uba as APC candidate.
“Besides the fact that primaries are internal affairs of political parties, one still wonders why they have continued to cast their eyes and focus on the APC primaries concluded almost four months ago, in June, 2021.
“We see this as an act that portrays them as meddlesome interlopers. More so, when neither Soludo, nor Adinuba sought nomination under the APC.
“In a classic recast of the Biblical injunction where such people were urged to first remove the logs in their own eyes, before worrying about the speck in others, we pitifully request Soludo and APGA to first deal with the prearranged outcome of its own primaries, whereupon elected members of both the House of Representatives and the State House of Assembly were brazenly pronounced as disqualified, in favour of a man who had never won even a Councillorship contest.
“Equally worrisome is the proclivity of the Soludo Team to always seek to dance on the graves of worthy indigenes of Anambra, and other residents, who lost their lives consequent upon the inability of Governor Willy Obiano to secure the state.
“Seeking to denounce the decision of Senator Andy Uba to call off the APC’s planned flag off on October 2, 2021 in honour of those killed days before that date, aptly shows the APGA candidate’s desperation for power. We do not really blame Soludo, for having never held any elective office in his life, his desperation to be governor of Anambra state has so blindfolded him to the extent of going out for campaigns a day after Dr. Cyril Akunyili was gunned down on the streets of Anambra. Ironically, Soludo’s wife is niece to the late Professor Dora Akunyili and has never bothered to commiserate with the family, either in private or publicly.
“Contrary to Soludo’s obsession with making a song and dance out of “big rallies” and “flag offs,” may we educate him that the times do not demand such. Besides security concerns, such recourse is tantamount to preaching to the choir, as such events attract only party members. Real politicking is meeting the people in their different local government areas, villages and households – a last minute strategy which Senator Uba and his team commenced this week, with campaigns in Onitsha North and South and Anambra East and West LGAs.
“On the failed attempt to drag the name of Distinguished Senator Andy Uba into events that happened in Anambra at the time he was dutifully serving in the Presidency, we state, unequivocally, that no Panel of Inquiry set up in the aftermath of the crisis indicted him, or had his name mentioned under any guise.
“In deed, since Professor Soludo’s current godfather is still Governor of Anambra state, and custodian of all official documents relating to the state, we challenge him to produce any shred of evidence, or document linking Senator Uba to the issues raised – or permanently shut up and stop the further maligning of his person.
“In deed, we advise Prof. Soludo to first deal with the issue of N2 Billion which he dubiously collected from individuals and corporate organisations under the guise of building a memorial hospital in honour of his mother. Today, 13 years after, there is neither a hospital building standing anywhere in fulfillment of that pledge, nor has the eminent Professor of Economics lived up to the demands of his calling, by rendering a proper account of the donated sums of money, or an apology.”
We wish to further remark that it is the very height of hypocrisy, when Governor Obiano and his protege, Soludo go on campaigns with an assortment of security personnel, he assumes the title of chief security officer of Anambra state. But when he fails to provide security cover for other candidates, he passes the buck to President Muhammadu Buhari”, the statement added.
