The governor was reacting to mixed feelings that trailed his earlier statement that Obi’s investments as former governor of Anambra were now worth next to nothing.
The Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has stated that Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), knows he cannot and will not win in the 2023 general elections.
Soludo said this on Monday in a long article titled “History Beckons and I Will Not Be Silent (Part 1)” seen by SaharaReporters.
The governor was reacting to mixed feelings that trailed his earlier statement that Obi’s investments as former governor of Anambra were now worth next to nothing.
In the article by the governor released on Monday, Soludo said, “My attention has been drawn to some of the tirades on social media following my frank response during an interview on Channels TV regarding the “investments” Mr Peter Obi claimed to have made with Anambra state revenues.
“Sadly, several of the comments left the issue of the interview to probe or suggest motives, inferred from my response on “investment” that I am opposed to Peter Obi’s ambition and therefore committed a “crime” for which the punishment is internecine abuse and harassment even to my family. Some people even suggest that the gunmen who went to attack a checkpoint at my hometown on Saturday 12th November but were gunned down were part of the mob reaction. I used to think that for decent people, certain conducts are off-limits and that in Anambra, politics is not warfare.
“Of course, as a Christian, I know that telling the truth can be very costly, even suicidal. Our Lord and saviour were crucified simply for telling the truth the people did not want to hear. I promised that I won’t be the usual politician, and will not knowingly lie to the people. I am not an Angel but rather than knowingly repeat the same deceitful character that politicians are known for, I would leave public office.
“Ideally, I should just have laughed off the infantile exuberances as many friends advised (I am used to this, having been in the ‘Arena’ for a while). I always re-read the quote “The Man in the Arena…” by President Theodore Roosevelt (1910) to remind myself of the burden of public office. Several well-meaning Nigerians and Ndigbo called to advise that I should just ignore them.
“Let’s be clear: Peter Obi knows that he can’t and won’t win. He knows the game he is playing, and we know too; and he knows that we know. The game he is playing is the main reason he didn’t return to APGA. The brutal truth (and some will say, God, forbid) is that there are two persons/parties seriously contesting for president: the rest is exciting drama! That many Americans may not like the fact that Joe Biden (79 years) and Donald Trump (76 years) are two frontrunners for president in their parties does not remove the fact that if both of them emerge as candidates, definitely one of them will be president in 2024.”