I Never Attacked Obi, Umeh – Soludo

By Ikeugonna Eleke

Anambra State governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has denied attacking the former governor of Anambra State and Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi.

Soludo also denied attacking the former national chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and senatorial candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Chief Victor Umeh.

Reports published by credible media organisations last Sunday had quoted Soludo as mocking members of APGA who recently dumped the party for LP.

In the reports, Soludo who was addressing members of APGA, was reported as saying that those who left the party for Labour Party would labour in vain.

He was also reported to have said it was unthinkable for a party that did not have an elected councilor to believe it would win a presidential election.

There had been a new wave of defections from APGA to LP, since Obi joined the party, with news reports attributing Soludo’s ridicules as being targeted at Obi and Umeh, both of who were also formerly APGA members.

But Soludo, in a press release by his press secretary, Mr Christian Aburime, said the statement credited to his principal was totally false and unfounded.

Aburime said, ‘Our checks revealed the statement was a total misrepresentation by an overzealous reporter who was not among the journalists present when Governor Soludo spoke extempore during his interaction with some audience after his 100 days in office media broadcast.’

He described the attribution as an attempt by some misguided elements to cause disaffection between the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his party leadership.

He urged the public to disregard the entire statement as it never emanated from Governor Soludo.

Indeed, Soludo’s reported ridiculing of Obi must have come as a shock to many people after many had heaved a sigh of relief at what appeared the mending of fences between the two. It will be recalled that Obi entered the Government house, Awka, for the first time on the invitation of Soludo for his swearing-in, while he also allowed Obi to use the Government House to address the state’s monarchs and Presidents General on his Presidential aspiration.