i still don't believe this rumour.

@topic: This will be very interesting

The only way PDP can win a gubernatorial election in Anambra State is through massive rigging. And yes, even with a Soludo!

Wish him all the best in his political career.

govnor soludo! from cbn govnor to state govnor! i hail o!

ah! he was already preparing himself ahead of time! now i see!

Charles Soludo parties with looted funds, as he challenges Andy Uba for governorship ticket
Written by Saharareporters, New York
Wednesday, 09 September 2009 11:25

On the heels of an opulent party in Enugu to celebrate his exit from the Central Bank, former CBN governor Charles Soludo – under whose watch and connivance the Nigerian banking industry came to the brink of collapse – is set for another round of celebration tonight, this time in Abuja.

A source close to Soludo, a former professor of economics at the University of Nigeria at Nsukka, told Saharareporters that tonight’s Abuja party was meant to launch Soludo’s bid to become governor of Anambra State. A gubernatorial election is scheduled to hold in the state next February.

Saharareporters obtained a special text invitation personally sent out by Soludo to a small group of people, most of them Nigerians with shady pasts or ties to Soludo during his tenure as CBN governor. The text read: "Please join me at a reception dinner in my honour organized by a committee of friends (Signed by Dr. Ekwueme; Chief Anenih; Alhaji Mangal) on my completion of tenure as CBN Gov. on Wed. Sept. 9th 2009 at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja (Lagos Hall) by 7:30 pm prompt. Soludo.”

As Nigeria's Central Bank Governor, Soludo was chiefly responsible for creating and deepening the now endemic and prolonged rot in the banking sector. Saharareporters had detailed his shenanigans at the helm of CBN. He created a bogey fund known as Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) through which he engaged in questionable practices, including printing monies that he then shared between major banks, among them Oceanic Bank and the United Bank for Africa.

On coming to power, Umaru Yar'adua set up a panel to look into Soludo's activities at the AFC. Our sources in Aso Rock disclosed that Soludo was marked for prosecution, but that he staved off his indictment and trial by bribing several political players, including Yar’adua’s wife, Turai, and Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa. Soludo handed $2 million to the Aondoakaa who was given the responsibility of issuing a white paper on the investigation of AFC. He also funneled $4 million to Hajia Turai Yar'adua, a woman who has established a reputation as the most corrupt “First Lady” in history. In addition, Soludo secured the support of the Saraki family when he restored the banking license of Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria (SGBN). He pried open an illicit discount window to help former Governor James Ibori's front companies – Notore Chemicals and Wilbros/ Ascot – to keep defaulting on toxic loans in both Oceanic and Intercontinental banks.

To further cover up his sordid financial deals, Soludo got AFC CEO, Austin Ometoruwa, to take the fall on his behalf. For his troubles, Ometoruwa was given a generous exit package. Even so, Ometoruwa was to run into trouble with the London Metropolitan police when he was caught with a huge cache of cash. Metropolitan police sources told Saharareporters that Soludo's signature was all over the money.

Soludo's AFC was not immune from the banking crisis that he helped create. The CBN recently listed his AFC as owing 32 billion in non-performing loans.
 
Soludo's indifference to the banking crisis he created underscores the general feeling amongst Nigerians that the so-called banking reforms might just be a smoke screen by the non-performing Yar'adua regime to hoodwink Nigerians into believing that his regime intends to end the era of impunity in banking sector.

Soludo’s so-called retirement party tonight is seen as part of the former CBN governor’s effort to checkmate recent moves by former presidential aide, Emmanuel Nnamdi (Andy) Uba to secure Yar’adua’s nod to become the PDP candidate for the Anambra governorship election.

Two sources close to Mr. Uba told Saharareporters that the former domestic aide to President Olusegun Obasanjo had assured his close associates that he has “two jokers in his pocket” in the bid for the Anambra governorship.

Mr. Uba, who does not hold a first degree but passes himself off as a PhD, has asked a Court of Appeal to declare him a “governor-in-waiting” to enable him to take over the governorship without a new election. He has told his associates that, if his judicial gambit fails, he is confident that Yar’adua would pressure the PDP into awarding him the governorship ticket.

Soludo is aware that Obasanjo has been applying pressure on Yar’adua to anoint Uba, said a source close to the former CBN governor.

Two months ago, Obasanjo forwarded Uba’s name for inclusion on Yar’adua’s delegation on an official trip to Brazil. But apparently Uba did not make the trip. At Obasanjo’s urging, Yar’adua again gave Uba a lift on the presidential jet during Yar’adua’s recent trip to Owerri, Imo State, to witness Governor Ikedi Ohakim’s defection to the ruling party.


The source even stated that Uba was responsible for presenting then Governor Yar’adua to Obasanjo as a presidential candidate. “Look, Chief Uba helped install Yar’adua as president. Why won’t the president help him out now?” the source queried.

As soon as Soludo heard of Uba’s inroads with Yar’adua, he reached out to other friends of the usurper president, Mr. Tony Anenih, Nigeria’s most unprincipled politician, and Mr. Mangal, Yar’adua’s closest friend who is a shadowy businessman and Nigeria’s biggest cross-border smuggler. Anenih, a former chair of the PDP’s board of trustees, is still miffed by the way former President Obasanjo hounded him out of the party post. His support for Soludo is seen as a way to pay back Obasanjo for the political humiliation. Former Vice President Alex Ekwueme used to be an ardent Uba supporter, but has been aggrieved by what a source close to him called “Uba’s acts of disrespect towards him.” Uba gave out cars and cash to Ekwueme and his wives during Uba’s first bid in 2007 to become Anambra governor. “Since then, he has tended to look down on Dr. Ekwueme,” said a source in the Anambra PDP hierarchy. “That’s why Chief Ekwueme is gravitating towards Dr. Charles Soludo.”

In addition to courting Mangal, Anenih and Ekwueme, Soludo is also seeking the support of Turai Yar’adua.

However, a member of Uba’s camp told our correspondent that Soludo is no match for Uba. “Soludo made money from the [Central] Bank, but he cannot talk money wise when Chief Uba talks. In addition, Chief Obasanjo is still very powerful within the party. Even Chief Anenih cannot talk in front of Chief Obasanjo. Whatever Professor Soludo does, don’t forget that Chief Uba played a key role in making Yar’adua president,” said the source. He predicted that Mangal, Anenih and Ekwueme would abandon Soludo once the campaign heats up and “Chief Uba makes his moves.”

www.saharareporters.com

PDP means corruption. Anyone carousing with PDP is bad news. Birds of a feather,

I don't think the people of Anambra will care about the made-up controversy going on with the CBN

They will not also care about unsubstantiated claims about Soludo.

I will be very surprised if he runs for governor, not to talk of under PDP. It will certainly change my view of him. But I doubt it, especially in Anambra, have you seen the type of politicians over there ? I think this is all speculation. The reports did not even state that he is a member of PDP yet.
Why doesn't someone charge Soludo for his so called crimes. Why the trial on newspapers. He was charged while he was CBN governor and given a clean bill of health by EFCC and the presidency. Now that he is an ordinary civilian no one is charging him even in midst of the banking crisis.
Why do we only have all this stories/trials on newspapers and websites.
He won't run for governor, he is at the moment at Enugu, he hasn't run abroad.
What stoping them.

Ok. he can forge ahead with his plan

The manhas stolen Nigeria's money. He wants to now use it to lunch himself into the political class.

Well done Chukwuma! A true son of Nigeria!


I hope the people in Anambra are more responsible. Even if they cannot do the work of EFCC, they should at least resist him.

Peace

George_D:

i still don't believe this rumour.

I think there may be some truth to it and he may actually emerge as the PDP candidate (see below). My worry is that the AFC debacle, the saharareporters expose about Soludo's wealthy lifestyle and the mess exposed by Sanusi in our banking sector reveals that Soludo , like many of our politicians,  is not interested in serving ordinary Nigerians. I hope I am wrong or at the very least that Soludo has a change of direction. Will Soludo work to improve Anambra for its dwellers or will he cultivate a culture within which a few insiders 'corner the market' making huge fortunes while the good people of Anambra see no improvement to their lives?

http://www.news.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5948:as-pdp-rolls-out-guidelinessoludo-kicks-off-campaign&catid=46:lead-stories&Itemid=140

As PDP rolls out guidelines, Soludo kicks off campaign  
Written by Tashikalmah Hallah, Muideen Olaniyi & Turaki A. Hassan    

Three big guns of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] presided over a bash at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja last night to launch former Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN] governor Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s bid for the governorship of Anambra State. Incumbent governor Peter Obi’s tenure ends in March, and the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] has already fixed February 6, next year for the gubernatorial election.

Last night’s event at Transcorp Hilton’s Lagos Hall was supposedly organized to congratulate Soludo for the “successful completion of his tenure” as CBN governor. The invitation was jointly issued by Second Republic Vice President Dr. Alex Ekwueme, party strongman Chief Tony Anenih, and the powerful Katsina businessman Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal, who is President Umaru Yar’adua’s political right-hand man.

Present at the dinner were former PDP national chairman Chief Solomon Lar, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Michael Aondoaaka, former Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu, Minister of Education Dr. Sam Egwu, chairman of the Police Service Commission Ambassador Sam Okeke, Senator Jonathan Zwingina, Senator Mike Ajaegbo and Senator Ben Charles Obi. Many other party heavyweights were still trooping in when our reporters left the scene.

Authoritative sources told Daily Trust yesterday that Soludo’s choice to lead PDP’s crisis-ridden Anambra State into the impending elections was made by the party bosses several weeks ago, apparently with President Umaru Yar’adua’s encouragement and blessing. The party leaders had frowned at both the number and quality of the 70 aspirants who indicated an interest to seek the seat. They said Soludo stands head and shoulders above the other aspirants in terms of intellectual and technocratic stature.


However, a senior official also told Daily Trust yesterday that the decision to promote Soludo was made before the recent explosion in the banking sector, with the sacking of five high-profile Managing Directors of some of the country’s largest banks. The unfolding scandal about near-bankruptcies, insider deals, huge non-performing loans and fronts has already cast a cloud on Soludo’s high-energy tenure as CBN governor. Even though his name has not yet been linked to any of the unfolding scandals in the banking sector, more dirt is still oozing out from the special CBN audits and the EFCC investigations.

Besides banking scandals, Soludo’s candidacy is still expected to face powerful opposition from other aspirants, primarily Chief Andy Ubah, who ruled the state for a few days in 2007 before the Supreme Court ruled that Peter Obi’s tenure had not ended.

Hours before yesterday’s bash, the PDP’s National Working Committee rolled out the guidelines for the party’s gubernatorial primaries in Anambra State. Party National Organising Secretary Prince Uche Secondus, who announced the guidelines at the party’s National Secretariat, said nomination forms for the Anambra State gubernatorial election would be sold for N5 million. Secondus was flanked at the briefing by PDP National Publicity Secretary Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali and National Auditor Dr Samuel Ortom.  

He said nominations forms for female aspirants would be free of charge while forms for the Expression of interest would go for N250, 000. PDP’s governorship candidate for the state would emerge by October 4, 2009, he said.  

According to the guidelines, ward congress, where three adhoc delegates would be elected, would hold on September 28 while a special state congress that would produce the candidate would take place on October 2. The sale of nomination forms would end on September 14, and aspirants were told to obtain and submit the forms at the party’s National Secretariat.

Secondus also said various committees for the successful conduct of the primary would be announced later, and that the display of the result of screening exercise which would be held on September 14 and 15 would be ready on September 16. He said the time-table was drawn up taking cognizance of the provisions of the Electoral Act and the party Constitution.  

Asked to state who is eligible to obtain the forms, the National Organizing Secretary said all members of the party in Anambra State who are willing to run for the governorship seat can obtain the forms as long as they meet the PDP Constitutional requirements.  

Secondus who refused to comment on whether the former CBN Governor Chukwuma Soludo was a member of the party. He however said he believes every aspirant must have acquainted himself or herself with guidelines and the party Constitution.

Dr Ortom however answered the question on Soludo’s eligibility when he said, “The party Constitution provides for waiver. Even those who join the party today have the opportunity to apply for waiver, but it has to be ratified by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party. The doors are open to everyone.”  

Alkali had earlier said that “the National Working Committee (NWC) has not adopted any candidate because it is inconsistent with the Constitution of the party. We believe everybody should have a fair chance.” He also said Anambra would be a test case for the PDP and that a level playing field would be provided for all aspirants.    

On the case instituted by PDP governorship candidate in the April 2007 election Chief Andy Uba, Alkali said the party would not comment on any issue that is still pending in court. He however said Mrs.  Uchenna Emordi remains the PDP Chairman in Anambra State.  

Alkali then urged other political parties to also put their houses in order and start campaigning, instead of waiting until the election day to cry foul.

foolish people! Nigeria makes me cry!

I will be the happiest person to see soludo on that seat.

really?

I knew this soludo guy was up to something, now he wants to be the governor of Anambra, good for him, hope u igbos from anambra are ready cos he's gonna do

something nasty. pls mark my words.

how does this sound? former CBN governor now a state governor! hmmmm!

and i sense he was a class governor in UNN.

lawrence83:

I knew this soludo guy was up to something, now he wants to be the governor of Anambra, good for him, hope u igbos from anambra are ready cos he's gonna do

something nasty. pls mark my words.

how does this sound? former CBN governor now a state governor! hmmmm!

and i sense he was a class governor in UNN.

He is just a typical Nigerian man.
now we will be hearing his name forever, a nigerian man dont know how to retire and enjoy their money.

i think this poster better go and confirm his facts. according to today's independent
newspaper's report, soludo has shown no interest whatsoever in running for guvnor:


[b]Anambra 2010: PDP Denies Adopting Soludo
* Sells Nomination Form For N5m

By Emeka Alex-Duru (Lagos) and Rotimi Akinwumi (Abuja)
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members keen on the Anambra Governorship job next year have been asked to pick up the nomination form for N5 million.

The party denied that it has adopted as its candidate, former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, as doing so would contravene the principle of fair play.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the election for February 6, 2010, and in rolling out its time table, the PDP announced that the expression of interest form will be sold for N250,000 and the nomination form N5 million.

PDP National Organising Secretary, Uche Secondus, announced the time table at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, accompanied by the National Publicity Secretary, Rufai Alkali; and a member of the National Working Committee (NWC), Sam Ortom.

Secondus said the sale of the forms had begun at the party national secretariat, and the screening of candidates will take place on September 14 and 15.

The primaries and run off is on October 2, after which the PDP flag bearer will be announced on October 4.

On Soludo, he insisted that it is against the party's internal democracy to adopt any candidate.

But he explained that anyone who does not meet PDP guideline can apply for a waiver approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC).

Alkali said the election in Anambra is a test case for the PDP, but it is not deterred, nor intimidated. He urged other political parties to organise for the election rather than sit back and criticise the system later.

Soludo himself issued a statement through his Special Assistant, Dominic Obiekie, to deny that he has been adopted for the ballot by the PDP.

Obiekie said the PDP has a process in the selection of candidates, and "It is only from the list of aspirants who have indicated interest in the party's nomination by duly completing the nomination forms that the party will select as a candidate.

"Soludo has neither declared interest, nor participated, in any such selection process."[/b]

^^^ they are only saying that so it seem pdp is following 'the rule of law' and shedding the old consensus candidate saga plus yardy said no campaigning till next year
You think three senior Mallams together with Anenih, Alex Ekueme*, S.A to yaradua on political matters etc will go all
the way to the state for no reason?

Some of the logic I hear on Nairaland at times is at best childish and naive; at worst foolish.

If Soludo has stolen Nigeria's money then let him be tried in courts and convicted to jail

Otherwise this whole a former public servant choosing to serve in another public capacity being a criminal for doing so is just ridiculous and stupid.
Even in America, the likes of Kathleen Sebelius, Janet Napolitano etc moved from Governors of American States to hold Cabinet portfolios in Obama's administration. They must be thieves for doing so.

Please people should just grow up.

Dis Guy:

^^^ they are only saying that so it seem pdp is following 'the rule of law' and shedding the old consensus candidate saga plus yardy said no campaigning till next year
You think three senior Mallams together with Anenih, Alex Ekueme*, S.A to yaradua on political matters etc will go all
the way to the state for no reason?

Indeed - and that is Precisely what Ogbulafor is attempting to do below. The PDP Chairman also confirms that Soludo is a PDP Gubernatorial aspirant.
Personally I think Soludo will be the eventual PDP candidate for Anambra. The PDP knows that Nigerians are seriously disgruntled with the performance of its represenatives. To that extent they will attempt to field 'performers' , wherever possible, instead of what Obtained under OBJ when crude and uncouth looters were installed everywhere. Soludo may have his shortcomings but he is still seen as a performer by many Nigerians. I can't imagine that the PDP , given the precarious political atmosphere brewing against the ruling Party ,  will reject Soludo in favour of a man (Andy Ubah) who claims to be a PHD holder when he does not even possess a first degree !!!! Ubah may have been OBJ's boy but the PDP , even if it is now not vastly different to how it was under OBJ , will feel that to do well in 2011 it must move away from our former President's callous style that involved imposing unrefined mediocrities like Alao-Akala on Nigerians while Parties like the AC provide erudite and charismatic performers like Fashola.

http://www.news.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5959:anambra-guber-poll-no-auto-ticket-for-soludo-ogbulafor&catid=48:inside-politics&Itemid=123

Anambra guber poll: No auto ticket for Soludo – Ogbulafor 

Written by Nan     

National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Vincent Ogbulafor yesterday said the party has no “anointed candidate” to be imposed on the people of Anambra State for the February 6, 2010 governorship election.

He made this known while fielding questions from State House Correspondents shortly after emerging from a private audience with Vice- President Goodluck Jonathan.Ogbulafor confirmed that although former CBN governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo was one of the party’s aspirants for the election, he had not been endorsed by the party.

“Internal democracy must be upheld. We are not moving to choose anybody; the people of Anambra will choose a candidate of their choice,” he said.“There is no anointed person to be imposed as a candidate. Soludo is an aspirant just like many others. When we start giving out nomination forms, he (Soludo) will have to go to his constituency to pick one like every other aspirants.

“There is no automatic ticket. The only way we can win election in Anambra is when we throw the contest open to everybody. The party will have problem if we pick somebody. We will try to democratise the selection of a candidate, and it will come from Anambra people. They will select whoever they want to govern them.”

Ogbulafor denied reports that the party used the reception organised for Soludo on September 8 to honour him for his successful tenure at the CBN, and attended by PDP chieftains, was used as an avenue to launch his campaign.

“The party does not know anything about the reception. If any party member attended, he or she must have done so at the invitation of Soludo,’’ he added. (NAN)

HE MUST BE OUT OF HIS GADDEM MIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What has he stared smoking??

This would have being the best time for someone new and dynamic to mount the rostrum and take charge of events in the state whilst the so called political heavy weights are waging an undeclared war on each other. (I would suggest some of you internet Bloggers who seem to have what it takes )

The downside to this would be the revolutional zeal and boyish optimism of such a new candidate would evaporate into thin air by the sounds of bullets from the dark forces within Anambra state who will not blink or bat an eye at taking another man’s life for a fee of less than N1,000.00.

To think Nigeria would ever attain the lofty heights of the next level of the Gani struggle, which is not just criticising governments and authorities but wrestling power through the ballot box from political oligarchs is one dream that is almost impossible if not unfathomable.

Nigerians might someday in the future however have a dream, A dream in the Martin Luther King mould, but to have that kind of dream in this day and age with all the economic indicators showing negative growth, bleak economic output and to crown it the self inflicted bank crisis, is a luxury that Baba God is not ready to give to any Nigeria today, I might however be proved wrong.

now, this is another side to the story!

may be this is a prayer answered, though i do not like the name PDP, that is a wrong foundation to start from, he has all it takes to stir anambra ship to the right direction. personally i would have gone for Ngige, but lets face PDP will not allow Anambra slip through their finger again, so they making us an offer we can not refuse. all i have for SOLUDO here is to WATCH IT, GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN MONEY. They are only trying to leverage on his name.
All said POLITICS IS GETTING INTERESTING IN NIGERIA

Soludo In politics, wonders shall never end. Does he want to remembered as a renowned academic or just another politician?

no surprise for me that soludo is dabling into politics. afterall, he was already talking like
a politician when he was cbn govnor. more probably why yar-adua dropped him for sanusi.

from governor to governor carry go