Of Brilliance and Pettiness: Soludo’s Political Dance in Anambra. Is Governor Soludo Envious of Peter Obi?

 

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State is facing sharp scrutiny after a politically charged reception for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during a recent state visit. The optics and language of the governor’s actions have sparked a storm of reactions, as many accuse him of taking partisan loyalty too far and alienating supporters of Peter Obi—Anambra’s most prominent political son and a national figure.

President Tinubu’s visit comes months ahead of the Anambra governorship election slated for November, a timing some observers find politically loaded. Southern governors from opposition parties have been defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), raising questions about the strategic motivations behind Soludo’s overtures to the presidency.

Soludo, who remains a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), did not announce a defection. Still, his enthusiastic display of allegiance to Tinubu was unmissable. As he showcased his administration’s projects, the governor’s remarks veered from celebratory to controversial. Critics believe he crossed a line, not merely by praising the president but by taking veiled jabs at Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate and a revered figure in Anambra.

Opening his speech by recalling the last presidential visit in 2021—when a "private brewery" was commissioned—Soludo appeared to downplay the significance of that visit. The comment was widely interpreted as a thinly veiled dig at Obi, whose administration has been historically linked with that project. While such remarks might be brushed off as political banter, the choice to echo tropes typically employed by Tinubu’s fiercest defenders came across as divisive to many in the state.

Observers noted that Soludo could have chosen to unify rather than provoke. Lavish praise for Tinubu as the “father of modern Lagos” may be acceptable political rhetoric, but descending into language reminiscent of APC campaign surrogates known for their anti-Igbo barbs struck a nerve. Many felt the governor did not need to use Peter Obi as political currency to buy goodwill from the visiting president.

Soludo, a brilliant economist with an academic pedigree few Nigerian politicians can rival, has long been accused of lacking the emotional intelligence necessary for effective political navigation. This is not the first time his approach has drawn rebuke. He previously suspended a traditional ruler for honouring a political rival and publicly chastised a bereaved Catholic priest for violating burial laws, earning a stern response from the Archbishop of Onitsha. These episodes suggest a pattern of performative assertiveness that has failed to win him popular acclaim.

Tensions between Soludo and Obi are not new. Their rivalry dates back to 2009 when Soludo contested the Anambra governorship and lost, while Obi was emerging as a political force. The paths they’ve taken could not be more different—Soludo, the academic-turned-technocrat; Obi, the trader-turned-national icon. While Soludo ascended through academia and the Central Bank, Obi built his reputation through business, governance, and now populist politics.

Some believe Soludo’s repeated jabs at Obi stem not from envy but from a profound ideological and temperamental divide. Yet Obi rarely comments on Soludo. The governor, on the other hand, seems unable to resist the opportunity to needle his predecessor. In doing so, Soludo risks deepening resentment among a youth base still passionately loyal to Obi.

Welcoming Tinubu with pomp and a traditional title may be seen as diplomatic courtesy. But Soludo’s praise for federal appointments offered to Anambra indigenes, in a government many accuse of regional lopsidedness, struck many as uncritical sycophancy. The South-East, critics argue, remains underrepresented in the current federal cabinet, making Soludo’s gratitude appear exaggerated.

The stakes are high. Anambra faces critical infrastructural needs, from erosion control to gas exploration and railway development. The state requires federal support, and diplomacy is essential. Yet diplomacy need not require the denigration of a political rival who remains a symbol of regional pride.

If Soludo is genuinely interested in helping Tinubu gain traction in the Southeast ahead of 2027, his strategy may require recalibration. Beyond flattery, he must convey the region’s frustrations—from the ethnic violence faced by Igbos during the 2023 elections to the glaring infrastructural disparities. A leader of Soludo’s intellect is expected to advocate with dignity, to elevate rather than belittle.

Ultimately, Soludo’s actions reflect a complex interplay of ambition, rivalry, and regional realpolitik. As Tinubu courts the East and Soludo navigates his governorship amidst rising tensions, the governor faces a critical choice: to be a statesman who speaks truth to power—or a tactician who trades pride for political favour.