TheNewsGuru

Tag: Soludo

  • What Soludo’s victory means for Anambra people – Gov Obiano

    What Soludo’s victory means for Anambra people – Gov Obiano

    Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, has described the just concluded governorship election as one that presents hope and a new beginning for the South-Eastern state.

    Addressing the people of Anambra on Wednesday in his country home of Aguleri, Governor Obiano said the governorship election has enabled, once again, the continuation of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) government for the next four years with Professor Soludo as the governor-elect.

    He commended the people for taking a decision to be on the side of progress.

    “The outcome of this gubernatorial election presents hope and a new beginning for our dear state,” Governor Obiano said.

    “For the second time in the last four years, Ndi Anambra boldly chose to stand on the side of positive history. People who thought 21 over 21 was a fluke have seen history repeat itself in a most memorable way.

    “19 over 21 is a massive repeat of history, the difference is just two. Against intimidating odds, we stood tall and reclaimed the dignity of our people.”

    Professor Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance had on Wednesday swept to victory in the Anambra governorship elections, winning 19 of the 21 local government areas of the state.

    He secured 112,229 votes, twice more than his closest rival – Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be returned as winner of the election.

    Governor Obiano dedicated the victory to the people of Anambra State, especially the people of Ebenebe who ‘rejected the sale of their conscience’ and “stuck to what they believed in”.

    He equally expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and to the security agencies for maximum support towards the conduct of what he described as free, fair, and credible polls.

    He, however, noted that the victory of the election is not a ‘winner takes all’ situation, but the party’s principle of being their brothers’ and sisters’ keeper will apply as arms are wide open to receive and welcome those who are willing.

  • Soludo: 5 things you should know about Anambra’s Governor Elect

    Soludo: 5 things you should know about Anambra’s Governor Elect

    At long last, the curtain has been drawn on the 2021 Anambra governorship election and Charles Chukwuma Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria has been elected the fifth democratic governor of the state.

    TheNewsGuru reports that Soludo’s path to becoming Anambra governor began over a decade ago when he announced his desire to govern the state, but lost at the polls. Coming back in 2021, he fought with other party bigwigs to become the flag bearer, survived the nozzles of guns and proceeded to the length and breadth of the state to sell his manifesto.

    In no particular order, TheNewsGuru takes a look at five things you should know about the Governor elect

    Lost his mother at a tender age

    Soludo hails from Isuanioma which is within the Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    Born on July 28, 1960, Soludo lost his mother at a tender age. However, the loss did not stop the young lad from doing excellently well in his studies and his flair for academics would eventually see him do his mother’s memory proud a few years after her death.

    Erudite scholar

    Staying true to his brilliance, Soludo graduated with First Class Honours in 1984, obtained an MSc Economics in 1987, and a PhD in 1989, winning prizes for the best student at all three levels. A prolific macroeconomist, he obtained his three degrees and then a professorship at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka, Enugu State.

    Transformational CBN Governor

    Professor Soludo was invited to serve his country in 2003 as the Chief Economic Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Planning Commission of Nigeria. On May 2004, he was made governor and chairman of the board of directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    As CBN Governor, Professor Soludo is credited with refocusing the Central Bank as an effective monetary authority, successfully implementing a fundamental restructuring which is said to have led to unprecedented consolidation of the Nigerian banking system.

     

    Father of Six

    Not so much attention has been paid to Soludo’s private life in recent times, however, the professor is married to Mrs Nonye Soludo and they have been blessed with six children.

    Visionary

    In 2008, Soludo made his mark as an economist with great vision during a speech to the Nigerian Economic Society, he predicted a consolidation in the private banking industry.

    “By the end of 2008, there will be fewer banks than there are today. The restructuring of the banking industry has been attracting funds from local and foreign investors, which have increased banks’ ability to lend to customers,” the professor declared.

  • Anambra: CLO urges Soludo, APGA to be magnanimous

    Anambra: CLO urges Soludo, APGA to be magnanimous

    The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has called on Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra governor-elect, to be magnanimous in victory by embracing and appreciating his opponents in the Nov. 6 governorship poll.

     

    “Soludo should embark on peace building and healing processes by reconciling all citizens irrespective of political affiliations,” the Chairman of CLO in Anambra, Mr Vincent Ezekwueme, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.

     

    Ezekwueme spoke shortly after the declaration of Soludo as winner of the poll by INEC in Awka on Wednesday.

     

    The CLO boss also advised the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) to be run an all inclusive administration in order to deepen democracy.

     

    Ezekwueme thanked God for the success of the election that reflected the aspirations of the electorate in spite of difficulties and some shortcomings.

     

    “Soludo should spare no efforts to ensure sustainable peace and discard services of sycophants, praise-singers and hangers on who would want to sow seeds of discord for their own selfish gains to the detriment of the state and democracy.

     

    “In wise assertion of the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe that we should always make friends not enemies, think about the best not the worst of others.

     

    “Pertinently, Soludo should admonish his supporters not to cast aspersions on defeated candidates and their political parties in order to douse tension in the state.

     

    “Soludo’s supporters should give other contestants/candidates at the poll respect and a sense of belonging because losers today may be winners tomorrow.

     

    “He should extend the hand of friendship and fellowship to other contestants, which is the beauty of democracy,” he said.

     

    Ezekwueme said that it would be an act of patriotism for contestants in the poll to display in words and actions political intelligence by not only accepting the outcome of the election, but also congratulating the winner.

     

    “We implore the contestants, most importantly, not to engage in unnecessary litigation over the poll,” he added.

  • Victory speech: Let’s come together for Anambra’s sake, Soludo woos fellow candidates

    Victory speech: Let’s come together for Anambra’s sake, Soludo woos fellow candidates

    The Governor-Elect and former Governor 9f Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr Charles Soludo, has said his victory at the polls has brought joy to the people.

    “To my fellow candidates in the election, I wish to congratulate you for the gallant contest. Our people have spoken overwhelmingly and surely, that voice is the voice of God. The ultimate winner is the Anambra people. We are all winners.I hereby extend my hand of fellowship to all of you; I need all of you to succeed. Politics aside, we are all brothers. Let’s come together for the project, Anambra. There is enough room for everyone to contribute in the service of our homeland.”

    Soludo, who dedicated his victory to three policemen shot dead by unknown gunmen during his campaign, stated this in his acceptance speech in front of his home and serenaded by his supporters shortly after being declared winner of the election.

    Soludo, who was the apex bank governor between 2004 and 2009, was declared the winner after a supplementary election was held in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday. He won 19 of the 21 local governments areas including Ihiala LGA.

    Sixty one-year-old Soludo won with 112,229 votes, beating Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 53,807 votes, and Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress who got 43,285 votes. Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressive Party polled 21,261 votes to emerge fourth.

    The Returning Officer of the Anambra Governorship Election, Prof Florence Obi, announced the result on Wednesday morning at the INEC office in Awka, Anambra State.

    Mrs Obi had announced that: “Charles Chukwuma Soludo of APGA, having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”

    Soludo said, “12 years have seen the massive clamour for the people of Anambra people for us to serve them, we persevered to this divine moment.

    “This is a divine journey whose time has come.

    “We have a very long list of people whom God has used to make this moment a reality.”

    He thanked his followers including special recognition of the members of the disability community who made his victory a reality.

    “We are humbled by the massive supports of stakeholders and Nigerian who cut across the entire country.
    “Your donations and goodwill are immensely treasured.

    “I thank my wife and our children for your love and sacrifice. Despite your deep reservation, you still allowed and supported me in search of the service to our people.

    “As I promised I will work hard everyday in order not to disappoint you. At this moment we must remember and will continue to remember all those who died in the course of this moment expecially the three policemen who were killed by unknown gunmen during our town hall meeting with youths in my ward

    “The run-up to this election and the election itself tested the resilience and the integrity of our federal institutions. Many times, there were tensions, especially as one party boasted that it must ‘take or conquer Anambra by all means’. Our institutions proved again and again that this country can achieve eminent greatness when our institutions rise to the occasion.

    “Aside from the initial hitches from the operations of the BVAS machines in some places, including at my polling unit, the election has been adjudged as the most peaceful, free, fair and credible. There is joy in the land. Kudos to INEC.

    “To my fellow candidates in the election, I wish to congratulate you for the gallant contest. Our people have spoken overwhelmingly and surely, that voice is the voice of God. The ultimate winner is the Anambra people. We are all winners.

    “I hereby extend my hand of fellowship to all of you; I need all of you to succeed. Politics aside, we are all brothers. Let’s come together for the project, Anambra. There is enough room for everyone to contribute in the service of our homeland.”

    He added that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) represented a “massive improvement” on the card readers, and urged INEC to do more to improve on the quality of elections.

  • Anambra Governor-Elect, Soludo reacts to election victory

    Anambra Governor-Elect, Soludo reacts to election victory

    Former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Charles Soludo, has reacted to his victory in the Anambra State governorship election.

    Giving his acceptance speech on Wednesday shortly after he was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the governor-elect described the feat as the will of God.

    “Let me say that with utmost humility and gratitude to God, I accept the result of the 2021 Anambra governorship election, as declared by INEC,” said Soludo who contested the election on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    “And this reflects the supreme will of the Almighty God and the overwhelming sacred mandate of the people.”

    He thanked his wife and children for encouraging him despite their reservations at some point, saying his victory in the election was a result of his perseverance in the last 12 years.

    The former CBN governor also thanked the incumbent governor, Willie Obiano; the leadership of APGA, party faithful, as well as the residents of the state for their love and support all through the events that lead to his victory in the poll.

    While remembering the three policemen killed by gunmen in the period of the campaign, he extended a hand of fellowship to his co-contenders in the election to move the state forward.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that almost four days after the keenly contested election and a supplementary poll that ensued, INEC finally returned Soludo elected as the winner.

    “That Charles Chukwuma Soludo of APGA, having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” said INEC’s Chief Returning Officer for the poll, Professor Florence Obi.

    He swept to victory in the election, winning 19 of the 21 local government areas of the state, while the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (Mr Valentine Ozigbo) and Young Progressives Party (Senator Ifeanyi Ubah) each won a local government.

    The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Andy Uba, could not win any local government in the election.

    Soludo, 61, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, secured 112,229 votes, twice more than his closes rival – PDP’s Ozigbo who polled 53,807 votes.

    The other two frontline contenders – Uba and Ubah scored 43,285 and 21,261 votes respectively.

  • AnambraDecides2021: Soludo wins 18 out of 20 LGAs declared; Ozigbo, Ifeanyi Ubah take one each

    AnambraDecides2021: Soludo wins 18 out of 20 LGAs declared; Ozigbo, Ifeanyi Ubah take one each

    The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Charles Soludo, on Sunday opened and maintained the lead in the Anambra State governorship election.

    Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), won 18 of the 20 local government areas for which results were declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Elections were not held in Ihiala Local Government Area and a supplementary election has been scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 9.

    Other top contenders in the election are Senator Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressive Party (YPP).

    The results from the 20 LGAs showed that Soludo polled a total of 103,946 votes, more than twice that of his closest opponent, PDP’s Valentine Ozigbo who got 51,322 votes.

    APC’s Andy Uba secured the third-highest votes – 42,942, while YPP’s Ifeanyi Ubah got 20,917.

    The table below highlights the results collated from the 20 local governments so far:

    S/N LGA APC APGA PDP YPP REMARK
    1 AGUATA 4,773 9,136 3,798 1,070 APGA
    2 ANAMBRA EAST 2,034 9,746 1,380 559 APGA
    3 ANAMBRA WEST 1,233 1,918 1,401 357 APGA
    4 ANAOCHA 2,085 6,911 5,108 868 APGA
    5 AWKA NORTH 755 1,908 840 381 APGA
    6 AWKA SOUTH 2,595 12,891 5,498 919 APGA
    7 AYAMELUM 2,409 3,424 2,804 407 APGA
    8 DUNUKOFIA 1,991 4,124 1,680 1,360 APGA
    9 EKWUSIGO 1,237 2,570 1,857 727 APGA
    10 IDEMILI NORTH 2,291 5,358 2,312 902 APGA
    11 IDEMILI SOUTH 1,039 2,312 2,016 752 APGA
    12 IHIALA No Election No Election No Election No Election No Election
    13 NJIKOKA 3,216 8,803 3,409 924 APGA
    14 NNEWI NORTH 1,278 3,369 1,511 6,485 YPP
    15 NNEWI SOUTH 1,307 3,243 2,226 1,327 APGA
    16 OGBARU 1,178 3,051 3,445 484 PDP
    17 ONITSHA NORTH 3,909 5,587 3,781 682 APGA
    18 ONITSHA SOUTH 2,050 4,281 2,253 271 APGA
    19 ORUMBA NORTH 2,672 4,787 1,847 655 APGA
    20 ORUMBA SOUTH 2,060 4,394 1,672 887 APGA
    21 OYI 2,830 6,133 2,484 900 APGA
    TOTAL – 42,942 103,946 51,322 20,917 –
    Total Valid Votes 229,521
    Total Rejected Votes 7,841
    Total Votes Cast 237,362
  • #AnambraDecides: Soludo in comfortable lead as results trickle in from LGAs [See Results]

    #AnambraDecides: Soludo in comfortable lead as results trickle in from LGAs [See Results]

    Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is now leading in eight Local Government Areas in Anambra State.

    There are 21 LGAs in the state and the APGA candidate has cleared out all the results that have been announced so far at LGA collation centres.

    The LGAs are Orumba South, Orumba North, Njijoka, Awka South, Onitsha South, Aguata, Anaocha, and Anambra East.

    Neither APC nor the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won any LGA where results have been declared.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Sunday for the final collation.

    Below are the results of the eight LGAs that have been announced so far.

    Orumba North LGA
    APC: 2692
    APGA: 4826
    PDP: 1863

    Aguata LGA

    APC: 4773
    APGA: 9,136
    PDP: 3798

    Njikoka LGA

    APC – 3216
    APGA – 8803
    PDP – 3409

    Orumba South LGA

    APC: 2,060
    APGA: 4394
    PDP: 1672

    AWKA SOUTH LGA
    APC – 2595
    APGA – 12891
    PDP – 5489

    Onitsha South LGA
    APC – 2050
    APGA – 4281
    PDP – 2253
    Anambra East LGA
    APC 2034
    APGA: 9746
    PDP: 1380

    Anaocha LGA
    APC – 2085APGA – 6911
    PDP – 5,108

  • #AnambraDecides2021: APGA candidate Soludo finally casts vote after over five hours of waiting

    #AnambraDecides2021: APGA candidate Soludo finally casts vote after over five hours of waiting

    Candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 2021 Anambra governorship election, Charles Soludo, has finally cast his ballot after a delay that lasted more than five hours.

    Soludo, who voted at polling unit 002, Isuofia ward, had earlier complained about the slow accreditation process.

    The slow process was attributed to the Bimodal Verification Device, which failed to work despite being replaced with additional support.

    The device is used to accredit voters to enable them cast their ballot.

    Despite his complaints, Soludo had called for his supporters to exercise patience, describing himself as a “process person”.

    Soludo was relieved after voting but said he held reservations for the probability of the large crowd of voters who were yet to cast their ballots.

    Soludo, who voted at exactly 5:07pm, said what was at stake is the 17 million people in Anambra whose lives and interests matter and must be made to live in a prosperous and live-able state.

    He tasked INEC to improve its technology while asking the police to live up to its responsibility and ensure security is provided until the end of the exercise.

  • AnambraDecides2021: ‘Throw in the towel,’ Andy Uba advises Soludo

    AnambraDecides2021: ‘Throw in the towel,’ Andy Uba advises Soludo

    By Emman Ovuakporie

    The Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, SAUGCO has urged the rival All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA to quit the governorship race, and like true compatriots warmly congratulate the presumptive winner of the contest, Senator Andy Uba.

    Speaking against the backdrop of rabid claims by APGA that the APC has already written results of 10 Local Government Areas, SAUGCO wondered how on the eve of a yet-to-be conducted election, such ludicrous assertion can be made by a serious political party. The Anambra State Government statement which ferried the incomprehensible allegation was signed by the Commissioner of Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C. Don Adinuba.

    This is just as the candidate of APGA in the anambra election, Charles Soludo has cried out after INEC machines have failed to accredit him and about 800 electorates in his polling unit.

    He has been at the polling unit for several minutes but surprisingly, no one has been able to vote because the accreditation machine is not coming up with no solution in sight.

    He blasted INEC for such a failed technology at a time like this when the people want to elect a new governor. He mentioned that the staff of INEC are not adequate enough to carry out their responsibilities, explaining that INEC officials are not in some of the polling units.

    In the statement by the Andy Ubah camp, it was further stated that “Indeed, if APGA were to believe their own lies, why then are they still pretending to be in the governorship race? Real politick, as well as real life situation dictates that, once one is snookered beyond help, the right and appropriate step to take is, throw in the towel of surrender,” Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, director, Media and Publicity, Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, SAUGCO said.

    “Anyone who has followed the trajectory of APGA’s campaign leading up to Saturday’s poll would have noted that the dominant theme of its electioneering was the flurry with which it manufactured one tale after another, all targeted at the APC.

    “For an issue as delicate as having some results of today’s election already written, how come APGA is the only political party privy to this fact?

    “As a matter of fact, are we not been confronted with a fait accompli by the outgoing Governor Willy Obiano administration, in a classic case of the witch crying in the night, and the child dying at dawn.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to reiterate – as we have always done in the course of the campaigns – that the winner of the Anambra governorship election would only emerge from votes garnered at the various polling units across the state. To attempt to pull wools over our eyes, as APGA is clearly doing, is a gambit taken too far, and we shall resist it with every vehemence at our disposal.

    Only few hours earlier, the same Adinuba who doubles as Spokesman of the Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo campaign had also cried wolf, claiming to have, again, “received credible intelligence reports about moves by a certain political party to use the instrumentality of the state to arrest key officials of the State Government anytime on trumped up charges.”

    Curiously, the same official was to go ahead to state emphatically that “none of the heads of national security agencies is aware of this plot.”

    Wonderful! Should we even hasten to believe Soludo’s lamentations just this once, the insistent question remain, ‘if no head of national security agencies is aware of any such plot, then from which garbage did the Soludo camp pick up the trash?

    We conclude that the idea of alleging that results of 10 local government had already been written 24 hours to the commencement of voting is defeatist and should also transmute to reality. It is then our prayer that Anambra people will roundly reject the party and a government that have abysmally failed virtually on all fronts of development.

  • AnambraDecides2021: Ngige, Soludo blasts INEC over failed technology

    AnambraDecides2021: Ngige, Soludo blasts INEC over failed technology

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, on Saturday, faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the malfunctioning of the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS).

    According to reports, the machines failed to work in many units, leaving thousands of voters stranded.

    The machine could not capture Ngige in Alor Ward 1 Polling Unit for over an hour.

    The minister feared the failure of the technology could disfranchise over 35 per cent of voters in his ward.

    He said INEC should not keep such equipment for too long in the warehouse.

    The situation isn’t any different with Soludo in his polling unit.

    As of 1pm, the candidate was yet to cast his vote.

    He alleged that the situation was similar in many parts of the state.

    However, he called for his supporters to exercise patience, describing himself as a “process person”.

    “Voting is yet to start in most of the polling units in the state. And for the few places where they are doing, I understand that accreditation that is supposed to be done in seconds, takes up to 30 minutes,” Soludo said. “With the crowd here, you don’t need a mathematician to know that people standing here, will not be exhausted.

    “So this raises fundamental questions about the technology. I’m quite a bit shocked. And this is all over the state. I’ve been getting calls from virtually every local government without exception, about the glitches, and the fact that people are not voting. Places where you have about 800, 900 people there you probably have about five, six that have voted so far.

    “The fundamental problem is the failure of the technology that is being tried in Anambra; it just hasn’t worked up to till this minute.”

    Soludo also lamented the paucity of INEC staff in many polling units.

    “There is hardly any ward that there are INEC officials in all the polling units,” he said.

    “There is one at Uke that is supposed to be 17 polling units, but you have INEC officials in only five.

    “Also, the security. As you can see, there is no police official here. And that is also widespread across the state. In Ihiala local government, the latest report I have is that the materials haven’t even left the local government, let alone get to the polling unit.

    “I’m a diehard optimist. I’m still hoping to see if we can have water out of the stone, so to speak. I believe I’m a process person. I’m very confident about the process. The INEC Chairman assured us of the robustness of this new technology, that they tried it somewhere for a rerun of the state assembly; but that’s a small location, depending on how the network is in place. Now, the fundamental thing they are complaining about is the network. It’s 1pm, it hasn’t worked.

    “My message to all our supporters, millions of them across the state, that have enthusiastically looked forward to this day, I say to you: let’s be patient. They told us it’s going to work. And I am patient.”