• Says President Tinubu, Party poised to connect Anambra to the centre

From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha

The All Progressives Congress (APC), Anambra State Chapter, has described the recent praise and commendation lavished on Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his administration’s giant strides by Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, as a mere political statement which never reflected the reality on the ground.

Umahi had, on Tuesday, commended Soludo, who belongs to the All Progressives Grand Alliance, for leading Anambra on the path of transformation.

The Minister spoke during the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Phase 2B of the access road to the Second Niger Bridge, at Ogbunike (33 Nkwelle Junction) along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.

But speaking on the development, the Publicity Secretary of the Anambra APC, Dr Valentine Oliobi, during a press briefing in Awka on Thursday, said Umahi’s comments were mere flattery, adding that the praises he showered on Soludo were “hollow, contradictory, and oxymoronic”.

Oliobi, flanked by other members of the APC, insisted that three years of Soludo’s leadership and 19 years of APGA rule in the state had not translated into any meaningful progress for Anambra State.

He said, “Recently, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, while on an official working visit to Anambra State, showered Governor Soludo with praises, but let’s not be fooled—that praise was hollow, contradictory, and oxymoronic. A governor should not be clapping for himself when the house is on fire.

“Ndi Anambra are not carried away by Minister Umahi’s sugar-coated words, because in between the lines of the so-called praises are nothing but a diplomatic way of expressing disappointment by the minister.

“If Soludo’s infrastructural projects were truly groundbreaking, why are the newly built roads already washing away with the rains? If Anambra is truly on the path of transformation, why do investors continue to overlook the state? If Umahi truly meant his words, why did his tone sound more of a surprise than genuine admiration?

“Let us not mistake a handshake for a hug. Umahi, being an engineer himself, knows what real infrastructure looks like. He was sincerely very disappointed with the politically motivated awards of contracts by Soludo in the bid to seek re-election.

“What he saw in Anambra was not impressive, but underwhelming. His remarks were not a validation of success but a subtle reminder that Anambra is not where it should be. It is amusing that Governor Soludo and his cohorts are yet to read the handwriting on the wall that a leader who bathes in flattery slips on the soap of failure.”

The APC spokesman in Anambra said that in the last three years, Anambra State lost all its investments to uncontrolled spending and insecurity. He sounded optimistic that the APC will take over the state in the next election, noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a core party man, is interested in his party winning Anambra State.

“Finally, it is over for Soludo as Anambra State APC is poised to connect the State to national politics. APC has all it takes today to take over government from Soludo. Minister Dave Umahi’s antics and mockery on his poor infrastructural development is testimony that Soludo will end in one tenure.

“In case you don’t know, Soludo’s antics to garner the support of the Presidency were all in futility as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a core party man who is very interested in his party APC winning Anambra State Governorship election, remembering fully well that Gov. Soludo supported Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of PDP in the last 2023 presidential election,” the Publicity Secretary noted.