No Rift With Peter Obi – Gov Soludo

Governor Soludo of Anambra State has said that there is no rift with Peter Obi.

The Nation reports that Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo yesterday dismissed an alleged rift between him and former governor and Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi.

He insisted that Obi remained his brother despite their political differences.

Soludo in an article titled, ‘History beckons and I will not be silent,’ dismissed Obi’s chances of winning the presidential poll.

He also said poverty worsened under Obi in Anambra.

Speaking at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Awka, during the Thanksgiving mass for Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor in celebration of his 70th birthday, Soludo said he would soon meet with Obi to iron out their differences.

The governor said: “When we came into the service, it was the first time my brother Peter Obi and I are meeting in a public event and in a Catholic Church to which two of us belong. I think it was divine.

“When I came in, I quickly went to where he sat and hugged him. People watched with bewilderment as if we were acting drama. Is it not the same people quarrelling?

“Let me tell you, we spoke two times, just last night. We’re brothers. You know I’m not one of those politicians that speak from two sides of the mouth. I can’t pretend. I’m a politician, but also want to make heaven. I’ll keep saying the truth.

“There’s no rift between Obi and me at a personal level. Nobody snatched each other’s wife. What appears to be the rift between us is fundamental political differences. Nothing else.

“So for those forging blackmail and all that, including the one they said I collected bribe to say what I said, I asked them to bring it so I use it to construct roads. If Soludo is into bribes, I would have been multi trillionaire.

“On the fundamental differences we have, we are going to meet in the next few weeks.

“We’ve agreed to discuss and iron out our differences. Unfortunately, he’s left. We must get it done. Anambra is for all of us.”

Appreciating God for sparing the celebrant’s life to attain the age of 70, Soludo said Ezeokafor has been of great influence on him and his government.

Addressing the cleric, he said: “You changed my thinking when you visited my village house in 2019 and rejected the foreign wine offered to you in the place of palm wine.

“Today in the governor’s lodge, the highest wine served there is palm wine.

“I was also humbled by the moderate type of car you drove to my house. You told me you chose not to go with a vehicle far above the average of those you’re pastoring. I think this is exemplary.

“When you see me drive Innoson cars, that’s part of the inspiration I got from you. If not for security, I would have been riding a bicycle to work.

“We’re taking the prudence you taught us to the next level because when we came in, it cost us over N137 million to clean offices, now, it cost barely N11million. I can only promise to take the message to the world.”