By Joyce Ekeh
The political battle between former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, and the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo has taken a fresh turn, with Obi’s media office accusing the state government of being preoccupied with the former governor ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Peter Obi Media Reach, POMR, in a statement by its spokesman, Idris Zekeri Jnr., urged Soludo to “stop chasing shadows” and focus on what it described as pressing governance challenges confronting Anambra.
The reaction followed a statement posted on the Anambra State Government’s official X handle, managed by the New Media Office of Governor Soludo, urging voters, particularly supporters of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to reject Obi.
Zekeri described the state government’s intervention as a needless distraction, urging Anambra elders, religious leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to call the governor to order.
The Obi camp, however, made a series of allegations against the Soludo administration, including claims of excessive attention to Obi, alleged misuse of public resources and declining performance in some sectors.
According to Zekeri, “the political feud between the camp of former Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi, and the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo has escalated dramatically” following the state government’s appeal to voters to reject Obi and the opposition.
Citing an Igbo saying, “adighi ibua ayi ara,” which he explained as meaning that one should not join a mad person in the public square, Zekeri said the Obi camp had initially chosen to remain silent rather than engage in what it described as an unnecessary political exchange.
The statement alleged that some insiders in the Soludo administration had complained about the governor’s alleged preoccupation with Obi during Executive Council meetings.
The Obi camp also accused the state government of allegedly deploying online operatives against the former governor, claiming that more than 500 internet trolls had been mobilised to attack Obi.
The allegation was not independently substantiated in the statement.
Zekeri further accused the administration of diverting attention from governance to political activities, saying Soludo should instead concentrate on infrastructure, education, environmental challenges and other issues affecting residents.
“Instead of obsessing over Obi, the governor should use those hours to tour Anambra and see how state funds are being wasted on roads that crumble while construction is still ongoing,” he said.
The Obi camp also criticised the Soludo administration’s handling of flooding and erosion, while contrasting the current government’s record with Obi’s tenure.
It cited a recent meeting in Port Harcourt, where, according to the statement, officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, discussed the state’s preparedness for flooding.
The camp also recalled Obi’s administration’s engagement with UN-Habitat to develop master and structural plans for major cities in Anambra, alleging that the frameworks had not been adequately sustained by the present administration.
On the state’s economic performance, Zekeri cited the Phillips Consulting State Performance Index, claiming that Anambra moved from first position during Obi’s tenure to 27th under the current administration.
He also contrasted the federal allocations available to the two administrations, claiming that while Obi operated on an average federal allocation of about N3 billion monthly, the current administration receives about N25 billion monthly in combined allocations.
The statement further raised concerns over alleged inadequate investment in tertiary institutions, education and erosion control.
It also referred to recent public receptions for Obi, including reported large turnouts at Nnewi Cathedral and the coronation of the Igwe of Adazi-Ani, as evidence, according to the camp, of his continued grassroots support in the state.
The Obi camp challenged the Soludo administration to focus on governance rather than what it described as attempts to undermine Obi politically.
It warned against attributing governance challenges to Obi, saying the former governor should not be used as a “phantom distraction” by the administration.
The statement urged Anambra stakeholders to prevail on the governor to concentrate on the state’s development, while maintaining that political disagreements should not overshadow governance.
