Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that he was at
one time against the ambition of the Governor of Anambra State, Professor
Chukwuma Soludo, to lead the state.
Obasanjo who spoke in Awka, Anambra State capital, at an
event to mark the one year anniversary of Soludo as the governor of the state
on Saturday said he had reservations when his former Chief Economic Adviser
approached him that he was gunning for the governorship position in the state.
For the ex-President, Soludo was better at “something
international or national” and not as Anambra governor.
“Because of my experience with Chukwuma, I earmarked him for
something greater in my mind, until one day he came to me and said he was going
to contest election as governor of Anambra. I did not disguise my anger against
him.”
“And I said, ‘Chukwuma, governor of Anambra, no, I see you
for something national or international.’
“What is this governor of Anambra? He said to me, ‘You
remember one morning when we were together and I came for morning devotion and
I said let us pray for the new governor of Anambra, and I snapped and said,
‘What prayer are you making?
Obasanjo said his experience of Anambra then was Dr Chris
Ngige and Uba. “And then, you will not blame me for my reaction.”
He said Soludo reminded him of what he said on that
occasion. “I said, oh yes I remember,” Obasanjo added.
Ngige, who is the
current Minister of Labour and Employment, was Governor of Anambra between 2003
and 2006.
Emmanuel Uba (Andy Uba) was elected and sworn in as the
governor of Anambra State on May 27, 2007. He was removed by a Supreme Court
decision on 14 June 2007. He governed the State for 14 days.
“I said to Chukwuma, ‘When people like you are running away,
what do you expect? Hooligans will take over, and then people like him should
not complain.”
He said he later told Soludo he could contest, but he should
not forget he reserved him for national or international assignment. “But go
for this governorship as an appetiser, then the main menu will come later. So,
you are on your appetiser stage,” Obasanjo said, turning to Soludo.
He said Soludo’s performance confirmed what he said to the
governor in the past.
“From what I have heard and what I have seen, you have not
disappointed me and I believe you have not disappointed the people of Anambra
State,” Obasanjo added.
Soludo is a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,
who served between 2004 and 2009, including when Obasanjo was President.
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