By Joshua Tashe
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, has said it was time real progressives across party lines, especially the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and other likeminds formed a common front to build a better and stronger Nigeria.
Soludo made the assertion yesterday when he received Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and his campaign team in Government House, Awka. This is as he commended the vice president for putting up an excellent performance as the Chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC).
He said the vice president has made a significant blue print with the conceptualization and implementation of the social investment programmes of the federal government and the positive reports from across the country of significant benefits delivered.
Soludo also noted that despite the limited power given to Osinbajo to act on economy matters, he has performed excellently well in discharge of his official duties, one of which he said Anambra State was a potential beneficiary.
He said :”The one that was particular dear to my heart was the one you came to commission the shoe factory at Ogbunike, where we get what we wear. I want to say because, our government is about made in Anambra and trying to promote made in Anambra and Nigeria, you came to empower us with SMEs and thousands of youths and less privileged in that particular industries. This struck my heart very dearly.
“You are the vice president and the chairman of the National Economic Council, in that capacity, you coordinate with the governors, you chair all the 36 states governors, the governor of Central Bank and the Minister of Finance and all others, coordinate the economic agenda of this country and in that capacity. I want to state without equivocation that Mr Vice President also coordinating several intervention programmes that the federal government has initiatiated, he has been leading us well.
“He has shown spectacular leadership in various capacity and in various areas where he has been assigned. You know the vice president only acts when he is asked to act but in those areas where he was asked to act, he has acted excellently well.
“Thank you for coming to see us. I can see the people of the All Progressive Congress (APC) out here in a state of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). We are the Grand Alliance of the Progressives, they are the Congress of the progressives. It is the importance about the progressivism there.
“I have said that in the past that the state of Nigeria today calls for a time when progressives, ‘all progressives’, the common thing in our name, yours is All Progressive, ours is All Progressive, the progressive in Nigeria, in the real sense of the word of progressivism to have a coalition to build a Nigeria of our dream”.
The former CBN governor who said his government was doing everything possible to tackle insecurity, appealed for the support of the federal government to end insecurity in the state.
Meanwhile Vice President Osinbajo accompanied by his campaign team to Anambra State to seek support of APC delegates in the state, described Soludo as great asset to Nigeria and to him as well.
He said, “Prof. Soludo has been a very good adviser to me for many years. I have sort Prof Soludo’s advice on many economic matters well before he became one of the members of the Presidential Economy Advisory Council.
“I have very frequently sort for his advice. It’s very difficult to get enough from his wealth of expirience. You are a great asset to the nation.
On the issue of insecurity in the state, Osinbajo said the federal government would partner with the state to bring peace back to it, noting that the federal government has designed a special strategy to tackle insecurity in the country.
“I must say that we are prepared to work with you to ensure that there is law of order. One of the important step the president is taking is the reengineering of the security architecture with the view to give more effect on ground, said the Vice President.
