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A lecturer at the University of Lagos, Prof Virgy Onyene, has said that the election of Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo “whom we call Charlie Nwangbafor those days is a victorious triumph of the almighty God.”
She said that God looked upon him and declared that it was his time. She noted that this was why the machinations the opponents put in place, God used it to glorify Himself and crowned the ‘Dike Isuofia and Odenigbo Aguata’ victory.
The Don spoke at a victory rally organized by a group Anambra Demand Soludo (ADS) Lagos State and Diaspora chapter which took place at the upscale Aceland Royal Garden Ejigbo Lagos. While appraising the Anambra election Onyene noted.
‘What happened is that when you frighten people especially in Nigeria, which insecurity seems to be the order of the day, the Anambra situation was further heightened by the insecurity created by oppositions and allowed by goverment at different levels. That is why I said it was God’s own way to crown him. In other words, the epic of Anambra State was sagacious. At one point, the tempo became so unbearable, horrifying and frightening that people were unable to come out of, even under their beds. People were going under their beds. And if they have something like a bunker, they will enter so as to safeguard themselves because it is when one is alive, one will tell the story.’
Onyene, who is a professor of Human Resource Management and Personnel Administration, claimed that satanic ones started killing people in Anambra State mercilessly destroying lives all in the name of Unknown Gun Men (UGM) adding that the tempo went terribly high yet ‘it was only the almighty God, the mighty one in a battle that had to say no to every satanic force that was playing out.
‘There were many hydra-headed, dangerous things happening in Anambra at one time to a people that had been very peaceful. Anambra people are traders and business people. And no businessman would want to destroy what he has used a number of years to labour for and put in place. So because of that, an average Anambra person does not look for a fight talkless of killing.
‘When the UGM were out from different poles to kill people in Anambra State, God almighty still used the moment the Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma invited Président Muhammadu Buhari to Imo State. It became a tragic flop of the opposition and the disconnect between the APC as the ruling party, individuals, Andy Uba and his company in Anambra State.
‘The tragic flop was that when Buhari left the airport to where he was hosted by Uzodinma, not even the ant, lizard or sheep which is known for foolishness could run through the field on that fateful day. Even if Président Buhari’s nerves were no longer working, he at least internalized something. The swansong at the end of his long speech became: ‘He thanked the man that brought him and told him when next I see your invitation, I will read it carefully.
‘And in Anambra State, the next press conference he organized was that he wanted a free, fair and credible election in Anambra State. That was the saving grace the Lord put in place but they didn’t know about it.
‘It therefore flows that after that, they brought so many security outfits. The government of Willie Obiano equally came out with a security outfit which combed the whole of Anambra State and put somethings in abeyance for us to move,’ she said.
She recalled that on the day of the election the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) machine for verification was not working.
‘It was still God’s own way of saving his people. People left their houses 7-7.30 am and were voting till into the evening. The percentage that voted were those who strongly believed in Soludo. That is why we had 100 per cent, winning in 21 local governments. Soludo didn’t lose in any but if we didn’t compensate the strong opposition and the Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Andy Uba, it will not be to our credit hence we allowed him to get a small percentage of his local government.
‘So it is Professor Charles Soludo’s time and God made everything to fall into pleasant places for him. And almost ten times within a night Soludo looked us in the eyes and told us:
‘My people when you go home, pray so that we cast this vote and count this vote. If this vote is cast and counted, I’ll win but if it is written, I don’t want to talk about it.” We prayed over it and God granted it. Every vote that was counted in the Anambra election came from the field and followed due process.
‘Nigeria has a template which was superior to what they had in Edo and anywhere else and should be preserved so that Nigeria will save herself from unnecessary manipulation, rigging, and foolery which makes us look like we have no brain, and cannot do anything. Nobody will ridicule us any longer during elections as we continue to cast our vote, count our vote, and announce our results so that Nigeria will have hold of their power.’
On her expectations of Charles Soludo’s tenure when he is sworn in March 2022, Prof Onyene said: ‘My expectations are as quantum as any other indigene of Anambra State. The outgoing Governor Willie Obiano has done well. On the 14th of September 2021 when Governor Obiano outlined 5 different qualities in Charles Soludo on which planks he stood behind him to govern the state, he said of him:
‘You will do better than I have done. You are a superior person that will make Anambra State to a greater height, so come and run.” That day Obiano became the hero of Anambra leadership so far.’
She added that her expectation of Soludo was captured in his manifestoes. ‘It is quite large, huge, broad and slim and will make a lot of impacts. Soludo said he would want to give Ndi Anambra a liveable, and prosperous state they can be proud to call the light of the nation. And on that, he has his manifestoes which is available as social manifestoes, apart from other initiatives he said he will bring on board.
‘We believe in Soludo that if given the support that I know Ndi Anambra gave Mbadinuju in 1999 if every Anambra person supports him because he has promised us inclusive and human face government, he will govern Ndi Anambra better. I don’t think there was any fear anybody has about Soludo that he didn’t bring out when they were criticizing him. Some of those things are there for him to correct the ones he thinks he has not got, measure up and do what he says he will do for Ndi Anambra if he is allowed by the almighty God and human candour because we need human support to go ahead.
‘Obiano before now was said to be working and everyone laughed and moved on but it was since he declared that the APGA government will not lose its mark in his hand, I started looking deeply into what he is doing. He has given us an airport which no past leaders of the state mapped out the land for it. He has given us a state of the art Stadium and many other projects we were not thinking about before. These are municipal facilities that keep people at home and would bring the people of Anambra State to think home. Soludo said he will continue every good project Obiano has done well, this means that for every other project he has not done well, he would not put himself to it.
‘Soludo gave the Federal Government the NEEDS template which was supposed to be downstream and concentrated at the Federal, State and Local Government levels, but now he has the state, Local Government and Wards. By the time he resurrects those Ward and Local Governments, the inclusion he is talking about would be nearer home. All he needs is support, and to tap from the quality of human resources he has in Anambra State and patiently look down and scale up areas that need developmental inputs and then reach out to get from outside. The money is not there and it cannot angrily come in. It has to stratégically step in when he creates the enabling environment which will be his own work alongside the quality of persons.
‘This is not the time for “present your C.V., it is a time for “present your proposal.” When you propose, we know how much of where you want to go you understand and what you can do when you get the resources. Then, you will be given your work schedule so that you can go there and be seen as handling it, the people will also see you and you will see them. “Faceless governments are not governments. Democracy has to be popular in Anambra State for people to feel, benefit and be part of it and have a story that is nice to tell. Governance is not an easy thing but for Soludo, he has connections with World Bank and other places, that can assist but he has to work within the ambit of regulations,’ Onyene said.
Present at the event included the chairman/coordinator of the group Mazi Ossy Celestine Ohia, Onyendu Ndiigbo in Ejigbo Eze Alex Sunday Nwoye and the Secretary of the group Dr Elias Nwakigwe among other eminent indigenes of Anambra State.
