Soludo without borders: In practice and in words

BY EJIMOFOR OPARA

Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo CFR is not a man to be described in unclear terms because his actions have become too loud that people have established his capabilities even when he makes mere banters. From his political appointments to his nomination of persons into administrative capacities and even in his distribution and execution of projects. Soludo has proven to be a “man for all seasons”, and non-parochial.

Many who now celebrate the transformation of Okpoko may not be aware that Soludo and his Party — APGA — narrowly lost elections in that once urban slum in 2021. Ndi Anambra is fully aware that Soludo has entrenched equity, Ecumenism and value based leadership. In just two years, every Local Government in Anambra has felt a touch of Solution, with the people leading the charge in this task of developing the State as a liveable and prosperous homeland.

It does not come with so much surprise that an opposition in distress is now clutching on straws, conjuring headlines that lack evidence-based substance just to score a goal now disallowed by VAR. In the last two weeks an unprecedented momentum has swelled around Soludo’s sterling achievements in two years without borrowing. This has changed the narrative of political leadership in the country, establishing Anambra as a viable and strong State under Gov. Soludo, and further proving that Soludo is a prudent manager of men and resources. This is enough reason for the jitters amongst those who “never expected it”.

It is under a Soludo Administration that some of these firsts happened in Anambra:

• A Governor damns political patronage to commence projects in a local government where he lost elections.
• Tribe, denomination, or gender are not pre-qualifications for political appointments.
• Merit based civil service, where none indigenes and young civil servants became appointed as Permanent Secretaries.
• Road construction with warranty, extending to hinterlands and hitherto forgotten areas – ask Nzam, Oba ofemmili, Obodoukwu, Ezinator, Ntoko, Awa, Eziagu etc.
• These are not mere words making empty headlines. Go and verify! Soludo has in two years redefined governance, demystified elite conspiracy and given the poor and vulnerable a voice and a reason to exist.

The Governor on Sunday announced that the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has moved from 1.2billion when he assumed office to about 3.2billion today. This is a win less celebrated, coming with widespread feeling of fulfilment amongst tax paying ndi Anambra, including traders and commercial transport operators.

The Governor’s huge investment in Education has recently reflected in the decrease in “out-of-school” children, with Anambra having the least number of out-of-school Children (2.9%) in the entire federation. All thanks to the Governor’s massive recruitment of 5000 qualified Teachers; introduction of free qualitative basic education and improved welfare for school administrators. The opposition is yet to chew on this, as they can’t fathom it.

Opara wrote from Awka, Anambra state.