By Izunna Okafor
Amid the wide range of criticisms and verbal attacks from different sources, trending on various media platforms over the recent comment of the Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo on his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi; the Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Christian Aburime has said that the Soludo Administration remains undeterred and undistracted, irrespective of what people say or write and how people react about the said comment he made.
It would be recalled that Governor Soludo has been under what would be described as his greatest media and verbal attack since last week Thursday, over his comment during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday night, just few hours after presenting the 2023 budget of the state to the State House of Assembly for consideration.
While fielding questions from the anchor of the TV show on the state’s 2023 appropriation bill, his administration, resources of the state and ex-governor Peter Obi’s much-talked-abour investments in the state; Governor Soludo, in the interview, noted that the value of the purported investments his predecessor and current presidential candidate of the Labour Party for the 2023 general election, Mr. Obi claimed to have made of the state’s resources while in office are currently worth next to nothing.
Soludo, during the interview, also said he was not aware of any investment in the State by any of his predecessors.
“I think there was something I read about somebody speculating about whatever investment. With what I’ve seen today, the value of those investments is worth next to nothing. So, let’s leave that aside…,” the governor said.
This comment of Governor Soludo on Obi has sparked off a chain of reactions and media/verbal attacks on him from the supporters of Obi.
The verbal attack was also recently fueled by a rejoinder dated November 14, 2022, titled “History Beckons and I Will Not Be Silent (Part)” by Governor Soludo, in response to the backlash arising from his earlier comment on the TV show. Soludo, in the article, also stated that Obi cannot win the presidential election.
“Let’s be clear: Peter Obi knows that he can’t and won’t win. He knows the game he is playing, and we know too, and he knows that we know,” Soludo said in the long article.
All these joined to fuel the criticisms already being rained earlier on the Governor by some residents of the state who criticise his administration’s taxation policies and approach to IGR generation in the state.
These notwithstanding, the Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Aburime, in an exclusive interview with this reporter, said that Soludo’s government remains the government of the people, for the people and by the people. He also said that the Governor would continue to fulfill his campaign promises and deliver democratic dividends to the people of the state, irrespective of who says what or writes what on the media against him and his administration.
“That is why he is working round the clock to ensure that everything that needs to be done to take Anambra State to the next level is being done,” Aburime said, adding that the “Governor has flagged-off many road projects and constructions are ongoing in many roads now in Anambra State.”
He revealed that over 5000 newly-employed teachers will be assuming work in the state sooner, to take the state’s educational system to the next level. He also added that more doctors and healthcare providers have been recently employed in the state by the Governor to improve the healthcare service delivery to the people of the state.
“So, Soludo is not distracted by any comment whatsoever. He remains focused, and will continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Anambra State.”
While cautioning people to stop peddling lies against the Governor and his government, Mr. Aburime also advised the people to “stop believing everything they see on the social media, as many of them of them are falsehood.”
When asked whether the Governor will still write the Part 2 of his article “History Beckons and I Will Not Be Silent” given the various reactions that greeted the Part 1 of the article, Aburime said it was left for the Governor to decide.
“I cannot say if there is going to be Part 2 or not. But fact remains that Soludo has communicated, and people have digested what he has communicated.”
Aburime further urged the people to continue to support the government of Soludo, while the government continues to provide everything necessary to make their lives better.
