Even though personally, I am disappointed by Soludo's intrusion into politics, as I feel he would better serve this nation as an interlectual figure following the likes of Wole Soyinka and Aluko being that he has actually served as CBN governor and leaveraging his technical knowledge in economics with his first hand experience as CBN governor.
It doesn't take too much intelligence to know that Soludo was actually talking of transorming Anambra's trade credentials while boosting in to international standards.

The most funny part is that many of you are responding to the title of this thread when Soludo's words were actually "Dubai of Nigeria." Meaning Anambra will be to Nigeria what Dubai is to the middle east.
This ,when considering Nigerias standards will not be a huge achievement.

This is why I feel Soludo is not suited for politics, most people and I mean 99.999% don't reason on his intellectual level . He would need to break down his statements and actions for people to understand rather than assuming that they get what he is saying or doing(like you would need to do when talking to kindergarten kids.). This was his weakest point as CBN governor not to talk of as a politician.

We as a people always fail to see the big picture.We institutionize people when we know there is no structure anywhere in this country.

I dont see any sane reason why any body should be overly hyped about soludo.

Making Anambra Dubia is just impossible not because soludu cant have a magic touch but simply because the stutures to transform a state is not within the state itself and does not even depend on the governor. Ask Soludo when last was there a power outage in Dubai? when last did u turn water in dubai and  water doenst flow? when last did a policeman in Dubai bullied a visitor to collect bribe? Is he constitutionally empowered to create a state police or our own Dubai here does not need an efficient and up to date policing?

There are questions no magic touch can transform till we redefine our nationhold.

adigun101:

This is why I feel Soludo is not suited for politics, most people and I mean 99.999% don't reason on his intellectual level . He would need to break down his statements and actions for people to understand rather than assuming that they get what he is saying or doing(like you would need to do when talking to kindergarten kids.). This was his weakest point as CBN governor not to talk of as a politician.

Right on the mark !!

Is it true nigerians are their own worst enemies?

na wa oh.

I really wonder who will win this election, because Ngige is no push over. Soludo is gathering supporters. Obi will never relinguish his seat just like that, even Etiaba of yesterday, believes a miracle can happen, and many others. Na wah oh!. Anambra's (s)election will determine that.

its only in a shameless and insane society like ours will d likes of soludo who is supossed 2 b cooling of his heels in jail for d rot he left at cbn will be coming out to say he will transform a state like anambra with d notorious chris uba as his campaing coordinator and other pdp hawks breathing down on him, i hope efcc will do their job as soon as possible and put him where he belong, Anambrarians deserve d best not one who has brought shame on Ndigbo by destroying cbn out of selfish intrest. Anambra money is not wht he will use to offset billions of non performing loans he colleted frm d troubled banks

He must be dreaming. His effort is going to be frustrated. God help him.

Anambra 2010: How INEC can prove critics wrong – Chris Ngige
Politics
Sep 27, 2009

By Dapo Akinrefon
AS the Anambra governorship election slated for February 2010 gathers momentum, various contenders have shown interest for the plum job.

But former governor of the state, Dr Chris Ngige believes that he has the wherewithal to outwit other contenders who are also jostling for the seat.


Ngige

In this interview with Vanguard, the medical doctor cum politician, argued that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), should use the poll to prove its critics wrong. Ngige, who is also in the forefront of those advocating for electoral reforms called on the National Assembly to ensure the bill is passed before the conduct of the election. He bared his mind on other burning national issues. Excerpts:

WHY did it take you so long before declaring your interest in next year’s governoship election?

Well, I don’t think it took me so long to declare my intention to contest the office of governor in 2010. I will answer in three ways

First is the legal angle to this election. If you remember well, Mr Peter Obi came back to office following a Supreme Court declaration saying he had to enjoy four years in office with effect from March 17, 2006, the day he took the oath of office as governor.

They rebuked INEC for conducting the 2007 election that brought Mr Andy Uba in and made a declaration that that election should not have taken place at all and made a consequential order that Mr Uba should vacate office immediately. This was in June, 2007 but ever since then, Mr Uba did not rest and went back to the Supreme Court twice and to the Court of Appeal in Enugu twice. As I speak, his last motion for him to be declared governor in waiting is still pending at Court of Appeal, Enugu.

So to all intents purposes and being a respecter of the judiciary and all that flow from it, I decided to wait for the case to be exhausted before I make my intention on the matter known publicly. But while waiting for the court pronouncement, I have been on the path of critical appraisal of my tenure of 33 months (29th May 2003 to March 17th 2006) when I was removed by the Court of Appeal and an appraisal of the incumbent in office, Mr Obi.

I decided to use my 33months for appraisal in terms of what he was able to achieve in 33 months against what I achieved in same period while in office.

I also looked at the social milieu and the financial position of both of us while doing the assessment and for me not to be biased in the assessment, I gave it out to a firm of independent assessors on consultancy and then to the planning, research and statistics section of my campaign organisation for their own assessment too.

The verdict from both teams had a five percent difference margin. One group scored him 30 percent while another scored him 35 percent. Both teams returned Peter Obi’s performance at 40 percent and mine at 75 percent in overall performance.

Critical indices used were that financially, I collected from the federation account a total of N42 bn while Obi for the same period collected N115 bn explained by the fact that they were getting the excess crude stored during the Obasanjo era and the oil price explosion of 2007 to 2008. Again, in the social milieu, the stability of the state was disturbed by the contrived Federal Government destabilisation of the state working in tandem with some renegades from Anambra. The result shows that Obi’s government is a collossal failure.

On another plane, I had to do more soul searching self examination especially against the background that it is difficult to please everybody given the peculiar nature of our environment where people complain about not been given contract when situations for that does not exist.

So for those genuinely aggrieved, I reached out to mend fences with them as part of the wide consultation. Consultation had to be extended to folks in the US, UK, Germany and church leaders. This can be referred to a power points.

The grassroots and common folks, to wit the okada riders, and people in the rural communities are yearning for our come back especially because of the total collapse of security of lives and property in the state.

We had to do these consultations before the pronouncement of our intention for I didn’t want to be placed in the situation of the young antelope who danced himself lame before the actual dance but when it started it found out that its legs were gone.

Is your party selling nomination forms? If yes, how much and have you purchased yours?

Yes, they brought out their forms for sale like other parties since last week. Our director of mobilisation has gone to purchase my form from party headquarters in Abuja. The price is N250 thousand for expression of interest and N2.5 million for the purchase of form.

Besides, one would want to know if you are the consensus candidate of AC or will a primary hold to select a candidate?

There is nothing like a consensus candidate in our party constitution. Even if you are the only one who picked the form, article 21, subsection 2 of our constitution will always prevail and by this, the state is converted into one constituency for the nomination of the gubernatorial candidate and an aspirant for gubernatorial candidacy shall submit himself for election to ward congresses in the state. Our ward congress has been fixed for 7th October and INEC has been notified by our national party within the 21 days notification required by the Electoral Act.

There are speculations that you do not have a running mate and at the same time, it is believed that you are shopping for sponsors. How true is this?

It is not true that I don’t have a running mate. I’m still with my 2007 running mate and as we speak, the position has not been changed unless he for any compelling reason declines in future. Yes it is true I am shopping for sponsors, no single man can fund an election alone especially governorship and presidential elections.

I don’t think it is a crime to look for donors who will contribute to the electoral funds of the party. Even the Electoral Act permits that.

I think it is foolhardy for people especially business men to take the principal funds of their business and invest into making themselves local government chairmen with an aim to recouping the monies from government purse. I don’t believe I should sell my cars, landed property to get into public office.

I am not going there to steal public funds. People should be able to donate into campaign funds of parties for the right people to serve as their own gift back to God because when the righteous are on the throne, the people smile according to the Bible. But this does not mean I don’t have my own contribution of funds, what I can call my careless or pleasure money to put into my campaign and then for the election proper.

How much support have you got so far from your party especially at the national level and how soon will the bigwigs in your party come to Anambra to mobilise support and show solidarity?

I have tremendous support or what I call granite support from the national Headquarters. Even before I made my intention public, the national secretary led a delegation of bigwigs and national officers from the headquarters to Anambra in solidarity with the state chapter in July, 2009.

They were impressed with the state of preparedness and saw Anambra people expressing their yearnings for the party and for me to come back to power.

By the schedule of the election, public campaign, by political parties starts on November 8th in conformity with Section 101 (1) of the Electoral Act and all the bigwigs you know in AC will be in Anambra to campaign with us. By this, I mean the Oshiomholes, Fasholas, Tom Ikimis, Ben Obis, Musa Gwadabes, the Lawal Kaitas, Bugajes, Akandes, Osobas, Adebayos, and all other progressives who believe in what we are doing will be here.

With the myriad of aspirants showing interest by the day in the plum job, are you not in any way intimidated by the growing number?

Well, the myriad of aspirants are all in PDP. I understand they are up to 51 in number but now pruned down to 47 but one thing I can assure you is that out of the 47, if they are asked if they will face Ngige in a free and fair election where the peoples vote will count, the will keep mute but the courageous one will tell you they will not be able to.

Other parties don’t have a as much candidates so the simple inference is that these aspirants in PDP have something up their sleeves which we are yet to know and at the appropriate time they will tell us what it is they have seen in being governor which we all have not seen.

That thing they believe that whoever gets the slot, INEC will perform magic and make him governor against the peoples’ wish. Even when they know that some of us were PDP members and worked in the PDP engine room. But things have changed. Anambra people are ready to fight election rigging with the last drop of their blood. I have been in the state in the last 2 months and know what I am talking about.

Why should the people of Anambra vote for you and what are those things the incumbent governor is not doing that you intend to do when you get into office?

The reasons are legion. They show me effusions of love wherever and whenever they meet me. They said I was the first person to show that the state has money to pay salaries and pensions as at when due, constructed roads and provided potable water for them, protected them from ravaging erosion by building anti-erosion roads with big drain culverts and concrete flood ponds.

They said I secured their lives and their property and there was no single case of kidnapping, no violent bank robberies in the day, crime was reduced to the barest minimum, even petty crimes, so they could sleep with their eyes closed.

Visitors and investors came to the state to invest, traders came to buy goods to transport , hospitals were open, doctors and nurses were working, health services were being provided, and above all, unknown to me, my actions showed I was ready to lay down my life for their sake. So as they tell me in gatherings, it’s payback time.

A larger majority believe it is not payback time, but that I should come back to complete my blueprint and it is this group I agree with, because I have only done 25 percent of my blueprint. More importantly the government today has failed because despite the huge resources at its disposal it couldn’t use the security vote fund to provide adequate security for the citizenry.

Moreover, the ugly era of strikes, closure of hospitals and schools has returned again.

The few contractors who have been in the state have been grumbling aloud for the non payment of their generated certificates as at when due and the debilitating effects of kickback collection, which was confirmed by the present governor in an interview.

To that extent, they are fed up with the Obi administration and they are looking for a new lease of lif from a fresh governor.

It is a case where a beautiful damsel marries two husbands, she can tell the better of the two. Another thing Obi does is the excruciating propaganda from his Anambra radio and televisions and many newspaper adverts where he claims roads, buildings, and hospitals, schools rehabilitation that were done by governments before him.

Everybody is also tired of propaganda of dredging Nwangene pond with 800 million naira paid and no drainage work done or the cancellation of the Oba airport for which a whopping N400million of state funds have vanished, or the award of rehabilitation of Nkpor to Awka road which my administration costed at N2.5 billionbut has now been awarded at N5.8 billion with a large chunk of the money paid out as mobilisation without work in progress. All these characteristics never existed in my time, and hence Anambra people are fed up.

As the build up to the election gathers momentum, do you, in anyway, see INEC conducting a free, fair and credible election?

Well that question should be directed to Professor Maurice Iwu and if I were to make my comment, I will advise INEC to conduct a free and fair election because we shall have an influx of local and foreign observers into the State.

It will be an opportunity for INEC to prove that a lot of what happened in 2007 were man made errors and that the logistics were overwhelming at time because all the states were involved. Certain elections done at the House of Representatives and federal house shows that there may have been a rethink and I ask INEC to continue so they may help us to redeem our image before other foreign countries.

In Anambra today, registration of voters is on-going but it is moving on a rickety note as voting machines are not enough. People queue up in some centres for hours without INEC appearing. Even my humble self has not registered. I was away in 2006 when registration in my ward was ongoing and till today no INEC official has appeared.

I’m appealing to INEC to allow Anambra people to register for the next two weeks and they should bring in more machines and officials to complement the people on ground. Anything to the contrary will presuppose that the rigging has started and it is a dis-enfranchisement of the populace as 30 percent of the voting population has not yet been registered.

What is your position on the proposed electoral reforms?

The National Assembly can finish with the Electoral Act before the end of December 2009 so that Anambra can be used as template to test electoral reform. People always talk about 2011 elections, I disagree. Anambra should be the guinea pig to test electoral reform. If it is the Electoral act, it involves the National Assembly.



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/09/27/anambra-2010-how-inec-can-prove-critics-wrong-chris-ngige/



Based on all that Ngige has suggested, will the Electoral Act (if passed on time) aid as a template in producing the best candidate as Governor in Anambra?. Time will tell.

ANALYSIS: Again, things fall apart in Anambra State

By Cheta Nwanze


September 24, 2009 09:41PMT print email





The governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, is facing a rebellion from his former political allies. He has been expelled from his party by a group led by party heavy weight, Chekwas Okorie,

The troubles in the party, the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, however, are not the only issues that are likely to make the elections in Anambra extremely volatile.

The PDP, which is Nigeria’s ruling party, is determined to win back Anambra from the opposition. To do this however, they must first get their house in order and select a candidate to run for the seat of governor. As of the last count, more than 40 people have picked up nomination forms from the party secretariat in Abuja, indicating they will be contesting for the right to represent the party during the election.

At least one of these candidates, the former governor of the central bank, Chukwuma Soludo, is thought to have the blessing of the wife of the president.

The political manoeuvring that is going on in the state is not limited to the big players, those on the fringes are dipping into the mix and confusing things even further. Some of them include the former state governor, Chris Ngige and the current deputy governor, Virginia Etiaba.

The beginning

The genesis of Anambra’s very complicated, and potentially violent politics can be traced to the 1999, elections that restored democracy in the country after 16 years of military rule. Anambra blazed the trail of what was to become known as political ‘godfatherism’ when Emeka Offor, to all intents and purposes, imposed Chinwoke Mbadinuju on the state.

Having spent a lot of money to get Mr. Mbadinuju into the Awka State House, Mr. Offor, being the businessman that he is, expected returns. He wanted direct access to the state’s treasury, a request that, to his credit, Mr.Mbadinuju refused. That was the beginning of the end for him. In 2003, he failed to get the PDP’s nomination for a second term in office.

While Emeka Offor was dissipating energy fighting the man he had put in the state house, another ‘godfather’ was preparing the ground for his ‘godson’ to get there. Chris Uba, brother to a close confidant of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, Andy Uba, had set the wheels in motion for his protégée, Chris Ngige, to become the governor. His thugs made sure that the 2003 gubernatorial elections were heavily rigged in Mr. Ngige’s favour, while the APGA candidate, Peter Obi, could only watch more or less helplessly as his own vigorous campaign efforts were wasted.

That lasted until Chris Ngige fell out with his godfather. In typical Nigerian style, Mr. Uba, in an effort to forestall any kind of ‘betrayal’ had prior to the elections , hauled Mr.Ngige before a shrine in the now infamous Okija incident, to swear an oath of loyalty; not to the people of Anambra State, but to him. Apparently, Mr. Ngige had agreed and sworn to the oath, so Mr. Uba was confident that unlike Mr. Offor before him, he would have unfettered access to the state’s treasury.

But there is no honour among thieves, and Mr. Ngige reneged on his oath, claiming to be an upstanding Christian. An enraged Mr. Uba had the recalcitrant Mr. Ngige kidnapped. Unfortunately for Mr. Uba, and fortunately for the people of the state, the Federal Government intervened in the crisis on the order of the then vice president, Atiku Abubakar ( President Obasanjo was away at the time).

Mr. Ngige was released and his removal declared illegal. Mr. Ngige’s tenure was cut short, however, when the courts decided that his election had been a farce, and that Peter Obi was in fact the lawfully elected governor of the state. That opened a new chapter in the drama that is Anambra State.

Enter Peter Obi

Peter Obi came into office without any known godfather and a section of the elite who believe they are the powers that decide the destiny of the state were not comfortable with having such a person in office. Within six months, he was impeached for daring to go back to court to seek his full four year tenure. (Mr, Ngige had occupied the seat illegally for thirty four months.) However, Mr. Obi once again triumphed in the courts. The courts ruled that Mr. Ngige’s three years in office were not part of Mr. Obi’s constitutional four-year term.

But the mess in Anambra was set to get even messier. More complications were added before the highest court in the country could rule on on Mr. Obi’s tenure of office. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) , which should have known election to the gubernatorial seat in Anambra was not due untill 2010, conducted the 2007 general elections in Anambra.

Andy Uba, the president’s man Friday won the poll. The elections was won at a canter by utilising all the connections available to the PDP rigging machinery. In the build up to the elections, the two Uba brothers: Andy and Chris fell apart. Chris felt that his elder brother was encroaching on his path. However, the real power lay with the elder, so Chris was promptly brought back to heel. In a landmark ruling delivered by the Supreme Court, shortly after he was sworn-in as governor, Andy Uba was asked to immediately vacate the office and Peter Obi returned to complete his stolen mandate.

More twists

Thus was added another twist to the Anambra saga, as Andy Uba is asking the courts to allow him be sworn-in without an election as governor in 2010. Mr. Uba Snr claims that since he won the 2007 gubernatorial election conducted by the national electoral body, he should replace Mr. Obi when the governor’s tenure ends next year. His is a case of, “I have booked the flight and should get on board when it is due.” Andy Uba is not having a smooth wait for the courts to pronounce him governor next year. He is being challenged by many others who think an election in 2010 should and will happen. Among these is ex-governor Chris Ngige.

The growing list of potential PDP candidates for the seat includes, Emma Anosike, Kodilichukwu Okelekwe, Emeka Nwandu, Nicholas Ukachukwu, Annie Okonkwo, Odemezue Chukwura, Damian Okolo, Kenneth Osita Odidika, Chuma Nzeribe, Benard Okeke, Alex Obigolu, Ikechukwu Obiora, Austin Okafor, Nwoye Tony Okechukwu, Ekwenze Solomon, Emmanuel Mbamalu, Eucharia Azodo, Mike Nkwocha, Chinyere Ogualili, Ugokwe Jerry Sunny, Caro Nwosu, and of course, Chukwuma Soludo, who until a few months ago was the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Mr. Soludo’s candidacy is contentious and has not been bolstered much by the negative press he has been receiving in the last few weeks as a result of the current banking crisis. Despite all of this, Mr. Soludo has gone ahead and picked a nomination form. Given his background, not a few people believe Mr. Soludo is not capable of surviving in the clearly thuggish and dirty politics of Anambra. But given the antecedents of Anambra’s very educated people in this area, it is likely that Mr. Soludo will do just fine.

Mr.Chris Ngige, a medical doctor, was a chief executive who saw nothing wrong with entering a marriage of convenience with the thuggish Chris Uba.

Then there is Chinwoke Mbadinuju, who, in spite of a doctorate degree still aligned himself with Emeka Offor to become governor. Anambra politicians, like their counterparts in other parts of the country appear to be able to move from being “technocrats” to “thugocrats”.

Mr. Soludo has been seen in all the politically correct places, and has been endorsed by PDP’s Mr. Fix – It, Tony Anenih. He is also rumoured to have the backing of powerful friends such as Alex Ekwueme and Mrs.Turai Yar’Adua. For him, the nomination seems to be already in the bag, with everything else merely a formality. With the PDP rigging machinery in place, he is likely to be the next governor (or at the very worst, the anointed candidate). The important “votes” are from PDP national figures like Mr. Anenih, not the people of Anambra State. That probably explains why Andy Uba is yet to pick up a nomination form, but would rather go through the judiciary to the government house.

The other political parties are not left out of the madness. The intrigues are such that they are rending apart family ties. The current deputy governor, Virginia Etiaba, and her second son, Emeka, have both expressed interest in running for governor. Mr. Etiaba has had to leave APGA, his mother’s party in order to pursue his ambition. He has declared his interest on the platform of the PPA.

The younger Etiaba’s defection has further highlighted the rift between the Chekwas Okorie and Victor Umeh led factions of APGA in the state, but may have just solidified Mr. Obi’s position within the party, an assurance which the incumbent needs in order to pursue his second term ambition. For now though, it looks like in Anambra State, things are likely to continue falling apart.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5461386-146/story.csp

Anambra's case is becoming a situation full of intrigues. May GOD give Anambra State the Governor of the peole. Amen

If Soludo becomes a governor with a PDP ticket, he can not realise 10% of his dreams for Anambra. We know PDP better.

that things fall apart article highlights the fact that ibos are their own worst enemies

do you see the maligned northerners engaging in such manic 'everyman for himself ' ideology?

ok

word of mouth!

Anambra people will decide.

oyb:

that things fall apart article highlights the fact that ibos are their own worst enemies

do you see the maligned northerners engaging in such manic 'everyman for himself ' ideology?

You are right bruv! I think Soludo would end up in a quagmire, confused and bedazzled he would walk thelonely road filled with humble pies back to his retirement home, singing the all too familiar song of "being misled", or the hit track of the 90's "I was not allowed to work"

fayahsoul:

What the igbos/hebrews need is a theocratic-socialists-democracy.

They abondoned their Gods and the result is socio-political upheaval.

Chukwu abiama is watching and punishing you renegades.

"The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion."-proverbs 28:1.

Please can you elucidate that interesting societal order!

fayahsoul:

What the igbos/hebrews need is a theocratic-socialists-democracy.

They abondoned their Gods and the result is socio-political upheaval.

Chukwu abiama is watching and punishing you renegades.

"The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion."-proverbs 28:1.

Did the gods they abandoned write the proverbs verse you're quoting here?

Anambra 2010: Who takes over the baton?


Soludo

Anambra State, recently, has started drawing attention to itself because of the complexities injected into its politics. Political neophytes and stalwarts have taken centre stage. Indeed, the 2010 gubernatorial election in the state is taking a multifaceted texture as reported by JUDE OSSAI.

EXPECTEDLY, the heat is on in Anambra State. This is the rue situation in the state that prides itself as home for all. The fever of 2010 gubernatorial election has already engulfed the entire land mass of the state despite the rumour that major stakeholders in the state had last year met more than twice in United Kingdom (UK) and United States of America (USA) respectively where a candidate in person of the immediate past Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo was purportedly endorsed to rule the state with a view to having an intelligential to reposition the state.

Sunday Tribune investigations revealed that none of the three leading political parties in the state is leaving anything to chances as aspirants in the respective parties have indicated interest to go for a democratic process in electing who rule the state in the next political dispensation.

Of all the registered political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Progressives Peoples Party (PPA) and Action Congress (AC) seem to be more battle ready for next year’s gubernatorial election in the state.

Due to stiff competitive nature that often characterised Anambra politics, some of the actors have switched camps for realignments. First on the trail of “political decampees” in the state is Mr. Emeka Etiaba, son of the incumbent Deputy Governor, Dame Etiaba, who a source said might have left APGA because of the protracted intra-party squabbles in the party.

As at Wednesday ( 16/9/09 ), the leadership of the PDP in the state had shifted its base to Enugu, apparently for fear of social insecurity to screen governorship aspirants so as to prune the number to a manageable size.

This followed mixed reactions that trailed an alleged attempt to foist a candidate on the party by a powerful clique in the state. Many of the aspirants had argued that allowing a candidate to emerge from a consensus negates the principle of democracy.

Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu, an aspirant in the PDP was quoted to have vehemently opposed the idea of having a consensus candidate, arguing that it is unconstitutional. Apparently to create a level playing ground for all the aspirants in its fold, the party leadership commenced an exercise to offload some of the political office seekers in the party.

Speaking to reporters in Enugu shortly after kick-starting the pruning exercise, the Zonal Secretary of the PDP Committee, Dr Onodiugo Ifeanyi Chris, said that PDP attached much importance to the screening with a view to selecting a credible candidate that would carry the flag of the party in Anambra State.


Gov. Peter Obi
According to him, “the intention forms of all the aspirants which they submitted at the party’s national headquarters, would be thoroughly screened , adding that it was aimed at ensuring that no form of irregularities were accommodated by the committee. PDP is serious in screening all the governorship aspirants in all the six geo-political zones of the country. Six committees were constituted for this exercise. Out of the six, governors are heading five, while a Minister is heading one here in the South East”, he added. Reacting to reporters’ question on the N5m non- refundable nomination fee payable by each aspirant, which many people feel is on the high side, Dr. Onodiugo, further said, “I am not capable to comment on that. The decision was taken at the national level of the PDP”. He, however, explained that women were exempted from payment of N5m nomination fee in order to encourage them to participate actively in politics, pointing out that the importance of contributions of women in nation building cannot be over-emphasised.

Describing PDP as gender sensitive party, Dr. Onodiugo, urged women to take advantage of the encouragement extended to them by the leadership of the party to contribute their quota to the development of the country. Chatting with newsmen shortly after his screening, one of the aspirants, barrister Okechukwu Mour-Aroh, who described himself as a “loyal party man” expressed optimism that he would emerge victorious at the end of the exercise.

He made it clear that he would support any aspirant that emerges victorious, and also called on others to support him if he happens to be chosen. Barrister Aroh, however, warned on the danger of choosing a consensus candidate without consulting all the aspirants who are stakeholders, individually and collectively, pointing out that the large member of aspirants interested in becoming governor of Anambra State clearly shows that the people of that state are interested in the PDP.

Some of the aspirants screened by the committee are the immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Charles Soludo, Senator Annie Okonkwo, a member of the House of Representatives, Chuba Ikpeazu Lynda, Barrister [Mrs] Mba Nkechinyelu, Imoh Nkolika Gloria, Nwankwo Victoria Uzoamaka, Comrade Tony Okey Nwoye, Chika Ibeneme Ugomba, Aroh Michael Okechukwu Muo, among others.

To diffuse insinuations in some quarters that even before the take-off of the committee that the aspirant that will run on the platform of PDP in Anambra State was already known, Dr. Onodiugo said: “If you know the kind of preparations made by the party before this exercise, you will be convinced that we are not wasting our time”. Just as tension is growing in the PDP, the PPA is an exception as the last primaries came to a dead end. The party’s primaries were inconclusive despite the over whelming influence of Chief Arthur Eze in the party. It was learnt that the Anambra High Chief is backing a particular candidate one Okechukwu Eze (a blood relation) for the gubernatorial race. Evangelist Kenneth Nnoyelu Chukwuemeka told Sunday Tribune in Awka that he remained the best candidate and a man to beat in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state boasting that he has all it takes to turn Anambra State around if given the opportunity to serve. Evangelist Chukwuemeka, who is pursuing his gubernatorial dream on a political platform christened “The New Hope for Change” stated that the thrust of his administration would be “Creating Opportunities, Empowering the People”, adding that he was optimistic that INEC would conduct a free and fair elections in the state in 2010.

In the PPA, Emeka Etiaba is also considered as a strong force following the pedigree of his mother who many came to love when she acted as governor of the state. Perhaps, it is against the backdrop that the national leadership of the PDP thought it wise by set up a committee led by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Jubril Magari, to screen the legion of aspirants in the party for the election.

But how far the committee would be able to harmonise various interest groups in PDP would largely be determined by the outcome of the screening exercise of gubernatorial aspirants which is expected to be rectified by the national leadership of the party. When Sunday Tribune visited Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu, venue of the screening exercise it was seen in progress but there was no much activities as witnessed in previous day.

Further checks showed that Professor Soludo and some others had been cleared by the party and no official statement was made as to who and who would be the flag bearer of the PDP in the next Anambra governorship election.

The National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor had charged members of the screening committee to make history by conducting a free and fair congress. One striking feature in its PDP struggle is the angle of the Ubas. Even as the chances of the former governorship candidate is, Chief Andy Uba getting the party’s ticket may have come to an end in the party following his litigation against the serving governor, Peter Obi over who takes mantle of leadership in 2010.

There are speculations that the Uga Prince would likely settle in APGA if he fails to stop the INEC from conducting another election. Chief Uba might rely on his plan B by moving his tent to APGA if, INEC rules in favour of Chief Chekwas Okorie as the legally recognized national chairman of APGA. However, if at the end, Chief Victor Umeh succeeds in out-staging Chief Okorie and his group at the Court, then the coast would be cleared for the embattled Governor Peter Obi to fly the flag of APGA in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections. Governor Obi has a task of convincing the people of Anambra State that there was no misplacement of priority in his reign as a governor mixed reactions had continued to trail his regime. That the governor could not settle the rift in APGA is minus to him, his critics argued. To political watchers, the struggle for the soul of Anambra State could also be viewed from the zonal perspective as some argue that since the state has three senatorial zones of Anambra North, Anambra South and Anambra Central, it is logical for the state to rotate its governor among the three zones.


Ngige
In the past, the Anambra South has produced two governors in persons of Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju. The Anambra Central had Dr. Chris Ngige and the incumbent governor, Peter Obi while the Anambra North is yet to produce any even when the likes of Senator Joy Emordi tried her hands in ruling the state under the late military leader, General Sani Abacha.

But for the demise of the ex-dictator, perhaps Mrs. Emordi would have joined the league of governors of the state. In AC where the former governor, Dr. Ngige is the sole candidate, he is said to be causing uneasy in the camps of other political parties as ex-state chief executive whose life span of governing Anambra State was cut short by the ruling of the Supreme Court, boasted that he would spring a surprise in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections. Chief Ngige is banking on his past achievements especially in the area of infrastructure and human development, saying, if given another opportunity, he would improve on those laudable programmes and policies he embarked upon as a governor.

Be that as it may, one thing many Anambrans are searching for, is a governor that would provide them social security. A first visitor to Awka, the administrative capital of Anambra State reveals how apprehensive the residents of the capital territory are. The presence of fierce armed security operatives, notwithstanding, the rising wave of kidnapping and armed robbery as well as other anti-social vices in the state is on the rise. Most people in Awka and its environs including Onitsha, the commercial nerve of the East rush to Enugu for refuge as night life had gone to the winds.

Even the Coal City when is gradually assuming a status of a notorious town following upsurge in crime. In fact, the battle for the soul of Anambra State has gathered momentum and only time would determine who comes to the saddle at the cosy chambers in Awka Government House in 2010.


http://www.tribune.com.ng/27092009/polity2.html

he can't do more that Donald Duke did to Calabar jor!

What does Soludo want in Government House
Sunday, 27 September 2009 19:52 Nnamdi Chukwujindu
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The battle for the governorship of the Light of the Nation come March 17, 2010 appears to be interesting and is in its fever-heat as different manner of persons have joined the race with the hope of replacing the incumbent governor, Mr. Peter Obi. Most of the aspirants appear to me to be confused , but the joining of the race by Prof Chukwuma Soludo is a costly mistake by the former governor of CBN.

In the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) we hear names of such aspirants like the former Governor of Central Bank (CBN) Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, Senator Annie Okonkwo, Senator Joy Emodi, Senator Emma Anosike, Barr KOP Odidika, Dr Alex Obiogbolu, Mr. Uchenna Emordi, Hon Kodilichukwu Okelekwue, Comrade Tony Nwoye and a host of others including those who do not understand the basic principles of governance.

The incumbent governor, Mr. Peter Obi will go for re-election under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance while Pharmacist Clement Imo Iketuonye is to run under the African Liberation Party.

For now I do not know the party where the first son of the deputy governor of Anambra State, Mr. Emeka Etiaba will run since he appears to be an expert in changing political parties. My impression about the entire political struggle for the Government House, Awka, is that most of the aspirants are seeking political relevance and nothing more.

But all these expose the incontrovertibly fact that Anambrans (not Anambrarians) are politically aware and do not lack human and material resources like most states in Nigeria. However, I want to state that most of the aspirants appear to me to be confused because almost all of them appear to be breaking the electoral law and may be disqualified by the INEC.

This is why I am bold to say that the next governor of Anambra state is perhaps yet to emerge. If for instance, Gov. Peter Obi decides to drop his ambition of re-election I will join the race for I have the intellectual capability and ideas that can turn the state around and add to the foundation laid by him since my mates are currently ruling the world (confer: Mr Barrack Obama).

But in my absolute scrutiny, which is personal and unmitigated idiosyncratic, the joining of the race by Prof Chukwuma Soludo is a costly mistake by the former governor of CBN. While I agree that Soludo is exercising his constitutional right, I predict that if he wins as governor; he would live to regret the decision.

This is because he appears to have many political God-fathers and should he become stubborn in settling them in future, a repeat of what happened to Dr Chris Ngige will be seen in his administration. By then he must have messed up his record as a world renowned economist and professors professor in economic policies.

I am only being futuristic because I know that Chris Uba, the self appointed Godfather of PDP in the South East and his older brother Nnamdi (Andy) are still relevant in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and it will pain me to hear of another mayhem since I know Soludo to be stubborn and probably would refuse taking orders from semi-illiterates.

It is against this backdrop that I am suggesting that the stage is too early for Chukwuma Soludo to reconsider his decision to run for election as Chief Servant of Anambra come March, next year especially if he considers the fact that the incumbent governor Mr Gregory Peter Onwubuasi Obi performed tremendously well that in civilized countries he does not need to campaign to be re- elected considering the quantum of development that is being witnessed in the Light of the Nation.

It is my view that no political party can rig the Anambra election unless history will repeat itself and Peter Obi will in future come back as governor if rigged out. That Soludo kicked off his campaign today (22/09/2009) at GTC field Awka does not matter; for a word, they say, is enough for the wise.

Nnamdi Chukwujindu

E-mail: nnamdi@yahoo.com
Last Updated on Sunday, 27 September 2009 20:01.



http://www.elombah.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1737:what-does-soludo-want-in-government-house&catid=25:politics&Itemid=37

Here is a former CBN gov likening his state to Dubai, an Islamic state yet some dumb people will come here and scream that the new polymer notes would contain arabic in a bid to Islamize the country. DUMMIES! All of them.
Hope they'd say Soludo is trying to Islamize Anambra now.

MUZBO:

Here is a former CBN gov likening his state to Dubai, an Islamic state yet some dumb people will come here and scream that the new polymer notes would contain arabic in a bid to Islamize the country. DUMMIES! All of them.
Hope they'd say Soludo is trying to Islamize Anambra now.

From the above rambling, I must tell that your pedigree is lower than that of a Dumbee.Silly thing!! . . . .How does the above gibberish relate to the topic in discussion?

^^^^

if fashola had said that in lagos - we all know what we would be hearing now -

better tell soludo to back pedal and say new york - or isreal -shebi u guys dey claim jew

.

abeg, u guyz shd free charlie, i dnt knw all d 47 aspirants, bt then i think my state needs fresh blood, nd soludo smells fresh. we dnt wnt a dubai, all we want is a state we can all be proud of.

You are entitled to your opinion, but if you really look at my later comment,s you will see that Anambra politics is a very dangerous one. That is why, I have created a level playing ground for all the candidates.

That is for Mr. Amr4ce. Let the better candidate win!.