Tag: Soludo

  • Gov Soludo places N10m bounty on killers of Okoye in Anambra

    Gov Soludo places N10m bounty on killers of Okoye in Anambra

    Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has announced a N10 million reward for anyone that has valuable information to lead to the immediate arrest of the perpetrators of Hon. Okechukwu Okoye’s death.

    The Governor expressed shock and deep sadness over the gruesome murder of Okoye, member representing Aguata II Constituency at the State House of Assembly.

    Recall that Okoye was abducted by unknown gunmen sometime last week.

    Okoye’s severed head was found on Saturday without his body at Nnobi in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    Gov Soludo, in a statement signed by his press secretary, Christian Aburime condoling with the kinsmen of Isuofia, said that those responsible for his murder are probably the same criminal gang that attacked him and killed three policemen at Isuofia two years ago.

    He vowed that perpetrators of the act and all criminals in Anambra will be brought to justice.

    His statement read; “Governor Soludo has consequently placed a N10 million reward for anyone or group that will avail valuable information that will lead to the immediate arrest of the perpetrators of this dastardly act. Anambra will soon be hell for these criminals.”

    Soludo assured Ndi Anambra of its cooperation with the security agencies to deal with the criminals and ensure they are brought to justice.

    “Anambra will win against the forces of darkness”, Gov Soludo assured, urging Ndi Anambra to brace up for the all-out war against the criminals.

  • Politics now big business, avenue for quick money – Soludo

    Politics now big business, avenue for quick money – Soludo

    The governor-elect of Ana,mbra State and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof Charles Soludo, on Saturday expressed concern over the way people now see as a platform to make money rather than a call to selfless service.

    He lamented that appointment or election into public office had produced rich men who never did any productive work, noting however that disruption to that trend would come at a great cost and could be a dangerous venture for anyone who dares to change the system.

    Speaking in Abuja at the 2021 pioneer class graduation of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance, with the theme, ‘Emergence of the unconventionals’, Soludo also raised the alarm that drug barons have invaded the political terrain because of the global clampdown on criminal activities like internet fraud and illicit drug business.

    He said, “As the noose tightened globally on other rentier/criminal enterprises such as drug trafficking or internet scam, many of the barons flocked into politics as the next easy alternative.

    “Politics has become big business. Appointment or election into public office is seen largely as an opportunity to ‘eat’ rather than a call to selfless service. There is an army of rich (big men) who have never worked or done any productive work in their life but believe that it is their right to expect something for nothing.

    “Youth unemployment, insecurity, poverty and inflation threaten the social fabric, but disruptions will come at great costs and could indeed be dangerous. It is not far to imagine what could befall serious disruptors.

    “In Nigeria, we remember what happened to (late Head of State) Murtala Muhammed, and the history books are replete with hundreds of examples of the inherent risks.”

    Soludo recalled that as the CBN governor, he and his family members received threats owing to the banking revolution he supervised.

    He added, “At a personal level, undertaking the banking revolution in Nigeria came with 19 written threats to me and my family, including physical attacks. Disrupting the existing social order is dangerous. Beneficiaries of the current order are powerful enough to organise and viciously fight back to protect their privileges. On the contrary, the masses who are the ultimate beneficiaries are not organised enough to act as a bulwark against the special interests.”

    Soludo pointed out that the country was currently “standing between the rock and the hard place” because with the objective to retain power within the context of short electoral cycles, politicians were often afraid to undertake the necessary disruptive changes to guarantee long term safety and prosperity for all.

    “On the other hand, the existing trends are totally unsustainable and the system is living on borrowed times,” he added. “Everyone is sleepwalking to the hard place, and praying that somehow a miracle will happen along the way. So, who is ready to put his head on the line to lead such productive but dangerous disruptions?”

    Soludo noted that migrating to a post-oil world of fourth industrial revolution and sustainable prosperity would require massive disruptive transformation and restoration of a productive social contract.

    He stressed that Nigeria does not lack educated and widely travelled human capital to drive her development, adding that across the world, Nigerians excel in their various fields.

    He added, “In the United States, Nigeria ranks highest on education among ethnic minorities and as a percentage of its population, it has the most educated population of all ethnic groups. At home, we have over 100 universities churning out hundreds of graduates every year.

    “Oil and the easy money that came with it destroyed the social fabric and the elite created new institutions and political structures to maximise their gains.”

    Soludo charged the graduands to display honesty always and use their knowledge to contribute to making a new Nigeria a possibility, adding that fixing politics requires talents, skills and citizens’ cooperation.

    The founder of SPPG and former Minister of Education, Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili, said Nigeria would not have a high number of out-of-school children and maternal death if the nation had the right politics.

    She argued that until Africa exits its kind of politics, there may not be any radical change in the fortunes of the continent in the next century.

    Ezekwesili stated, “There is a cost to be made. The politics of Africa today does not respect cost to the individual. It only promotes benefits to the individual that is in the public space. That is an abnormality. Societies that develop did so on the principle that those in the public space are to provide leadership.

    “It is politics that has made the economy to be bad within the context of all the endowment that we have. Yet, we are the world capital of poverty. It is politics that has distorted all the possibilities of our society. You cannot play with the lowest degree of your citizens as political leaders in the public space and expect that something will just happen.”

    She charged the graduands to embrace leadership skills that would transform society.

    The vice-chancellor of the school, Alero Ayida-Otobo, challenged the graduands to have an unquenchable thirst to raise standards while kicking injustice, religious intolerance, and lawlessness out of the country.

    Meanwhile, Soludo, who would be inaugurated on March 17, has commiserated with the victims of the fire incident at the Obodo Ukwu end of the Onitsha-Owerri Road in Onitsha.

    The fire occurred early Friday following a petrol tanker explosion, which razed buildings and shops in the market around the scene.

    A statement on Saturday by his media aide, Mr Joe Anatune, said Soludo expressed deep concern over the magnitude of material losses suffered by the victims.

    He lamented the incessant tanker explosions in the Onitsha axis and other cities around the country as he gave an assurance that a lasting solution to prevent a reoccurrence would be proffered.

    Soludo commended the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and Governor Willie Obiano for their immediate reactions and condolences to the victims.

    He commended the gallantry of the youths, fire service officials and other security personnel who came immediately to the scene to stem the tide of the fire.

  • Many Drug Barons, Internet Fraudsters Now See Politics as Easy Alternative –Soludo

    Many Drug Barons, Internet Fraudsters Now See Politics as Easy Alternative –Soludo

    The governor-elect of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, says politics has become a big business in Nigeria, adding that many drug barons and internet scammers have flocked into politics to avoid being arrested.

    Soludo, an ex-governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria who won the November 6, 2021 Anambra governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, spoke on Saturday.

    He spoke on ‘The Purpose and Price of Disruptive Change’ at the first graduation of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance Pioneer in Abuja. The school was founded by former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili

    Soludo said, “Indeed, Africa needs a new liberation movement. The first struggle was liberation from the colonial masters. The second will be liberation from rentier politics and politicians. For me, there is almost a sense of nostalgia, recalling the mission and accomplishments of our founding fathers, especially as we contemplate the world without oil in Nigeria.

    “Much of the existing social order is founded on competition for, and distribution of, rents. Oil and the easy money that came with it destroyed the social fabric and the elite created new institutions and political structures to maximize their gains. As the noose tightened globally on other rentier/criminal enterprises such as drug trafficking or internet scamming, many of the barons flocked into politics as the next easy alternative.

    “Politics has become big business. Appointment or election into public office is seen largely as an opportunity to ‘eat’ rather than a call to selfless service. There is an army of rich (big men) who have never worked or done any productive work in their life and believe that it is their right to expect something for nothing.

    “The tiny less than one per cent elite have a stranglehold on the public purse, sprinkling occasional crumbs to the citizens as ‘dividends of democracy’. The citizens themselves either out of helplessness or acquiescence join the party, expecting the politicians to dole out pittance out of public treasury as charity.”

    According to the governor-elect who would assume office in March, Nigeria is now at a fiscal cliff with a crunching solvency challenge.

    “Youth unemployment, insecurity, poverty, inflation, etc threaten the social fabric. Migrating to a post-oil world of 4th Industrial revolution and sustainable prosperity will require massive disruptive transformations and restoration of a productive social contract.

    “Such disruptions will come at great costs, and could indeed be dangerous.

    “Fixing politics requires talent and skills. But these won’t be enough. It won’t happen by lone wolves working in silos. It requires new developmental organisations – organisations/teams of believers, driven by defined ideology, purpose and character,” he submitted.

  • Court rules on a suit seeking to disqualify Anambra Gov-elect Soludo

    Court rules on a suit seeking to disqualify Anambra Gov-elect Soludo

    A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Charles Chukwuma Soludo, has scaled  of the hurdles placed before him that might affect the  swearing-in as the next Anambra governor draws near.

    Justice Taiwo Oladipupo Taiwo of the Federal High Court on Tuesday dismissed a suit seeking the disqualification of Soludo as the governor-elect of Anambra State.

    The judge who described the suit as  frivolous, irritating, and lacking in merit awarded a punitive cost of N2 million against the two plaintiffs to be paid to Soludo and his deputy, Onyeka Ibezim.

    Recall that Adindu Valentine and Egwudike Chukwuebuk in a suit filed before the court had claimed that Soludo provide false information in the affidavit (Form EC9) he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and thus he should be unqualified to contest.

    The applicants claimed that the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria in the affidavit claimed that he was contesting the Aguata 2 Constituency seat when he was contesting the Anambra governorship seat.

    Defendants in the suit are the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Soludo and Ibezim.

  • Buhari Congratulates Soludo, Urges Him To Tackle Challenges In The State

    Buhari Congratulates Soludo, Urges Him To Tackle Challenges In The State

    President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, as he emerged winner in the gubernatorial election in Anambra State, saying that he looks forward to working with him.

    The President also called on the governor-elect, who is a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Committee, to rally other stakeholders to tackle the enormous challenges confronting the state and the Southeast in general.

    He said this in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

    “President Buhari enjoins Prof. Soludo, member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Committee, to rally other stakeholders to tackle the enormous challenges confronting the State and the Southeast in general.

    “The President looks forward to working with the incoming governor for the peace, security and development of not only Anambra State, but the entire country,” the statement read in part.

    President Buhari also praised the security agencies for their determination in ensuring that the election went on as smoothly as possible, as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the successful conclusion of the exercise despite the initial challenges encountered.

    The 61-year-old former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, swept to victory after he secured 112,229 votes from 19 of the 21 LGAs – twice more than his closest rival – PDP’s Valentine Ozigbo.

    Ozigbo had 53,807 votes while the other two frontline contenders –  Andy Uba and Ifeanyi Ubah scored 43,285 and 21,261 votes respectively.

    Announcing the result of the keenly contested election in the wee hours of Wednesday, INEC’s Chief Returning Officer for the poll, Professor Florence Obi, said: “that Charles Chukwuma Soludo of APGA, having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected”.

  • Courts Order INEC To List Soludo, Uba As APGA, PDP Candidates

    Courts Order INEC To List Soludo, Uba As APGA, PDP Candidates

    Two courts in Anambra on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to list the names of Professor Chukwuma Soludo and Senator Ugochukwu Uba as the candidates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), respectively for the November 6, 2021, governorship election.

    In Professor Soludo’s case, the High Court presided over by Justice C.C. Okaa directed INEC to publish the former CBN Governor’s name which was removed from the electoral umpire’s list last Friday and replaced with that of Hon Chukwuma Michael Umeoji.

    Justice Okaa in passing judgment ordered INEC to remove the name of Hon Umeoji from its list and ordered him to stop parading himself as the candidate of APGA for the November election.

    The court also reaffirmed that Chief Victor Oye is the indisputable national chairman of APGA and directed that Chief Edozie Njoku and Mr. Jude Okeke should stop parading themselves as chairmen.

    Similarly, in Senator Uba’s case, a High Court in Awka presided over by Justice Obiora Nwabunike did not only order INEC to list the lawmaker’s name as the rightful candidate but also awarded N10 million damages against the defendants namely, the PDP and Mr. Val Ozigbo, the other candidate of the party produced at the primary supervised by the leadership of the party.

    According to the judge, the primary that produced Uba was the authentic one because there was a court ruling by Justice Adeniyi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, which had not been vacated.

    “An order of the court, whether it is right or wrong, must be obeyed until it is vacated. The peculiarity of this case is that there was an existing court order that is still alive” Vanguard quoted the judge as saying.

    He said the plaintiff, Uba, relied on the judgment of the FCT High Court to conduct the PDP primary that took place at Paul University, Awka on the 26th of June, explaining that since the PDP did not like the judgment of the FCT High Court, it should have endeavored to vacate it before deciding to use super delegates during the primary that produced Ozigbo.

    Justice Nwabunike also dismissed the issue of lack of jurisdiction prayed for by the defendants, stating that jurisdiction, which he described as the livewire of court, was invested in his court by the provisions of the Electoral Act.

  • INEC Omission: I’ll participate in Anambra Election – Soludo

    INEC Omission: I’ll participate in Anambra Election – Soludo

    Former Governor of the Central Bank, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has said despite not being listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), he was sure of taking part in the governorship contest in Anambra State.

    INEC had published Hon Chuma Umeoji as a candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in place of Soludo, citing a court order.

    But Soludo reacting to his exclusion said he will not only contest the election but will win overwhelmingly.

    In a press statement made in Awka by Soludo Campaign Organisation and signed by Soludo’s media aide, Joe Anatune, supporters were urged not to despair over the exclusion of his name on the INEC list, but to have faith.

    Part of the statement read: “Our millions of supporters in Anambra State and elsewhere in the world are advised not to be dispirited by the publication. Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo will participate in the governorship election as the APGA candidate.

    “Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo will participate in the governorship election as the APGA candidate. His nomination was strictly in line with the Electoral Law and INEC guidelines. INEC observed the APGA Congress on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, where he was nominated after winning 93.4 per cent of the valid votes cast in a free, fair and transparent manner which was broadcasted live on national television networks as part of deepening the democratic process in Nigeria.

    “Our team of dedicated and competent legal experts have studied the judgment and are confident of overturning it effortlessly. The party is at liberty to nominate the rightful candidate so long as due process is followed. Soludo’s nomination followed due process religiously.”

    Soludo said there was no need for Anambra people and all lovers of progress in Nigeria to be worried about the judgment as it will be set aside the way others by Mr Justice Stanley Nnaji of the Enugu State High Court and Mr Justice Egbo Egbo of the Federal High Court in Abuja were thrown out.

    He further said, “Millions of Ndi Anambra are understandably shocked that there are still desperate politicians in the state who want to reenact the years which the locusts consumed. They are determined to go to any and every length to acquire power for its own sake.

    “We thought that the state had passed the stage where some of its politicians were moving from one end of the country to the other in the dead of the night in search of judicial orders to impose themselves on the people as their rulers, not leaders.

    “Our supporters and indeed all Anambra people, who have been waiting patiently for Soludo’s leadership of the state, are advised not to be deterred by the Jigawa State Court order. They should rather remain supremely confident of not only Soludo’s participation in the November 6 gubernatorial vote but also his triumph in the polls with a big margin which will lead to a new era in our state for the benefit of all,” the statement concluded