Gov Soludo speaks on rift with Peter Obi, predicts 2027 result

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State said he and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, are great friends despite their political differences and ongoing rift.

Mr Soludo, who had been in a prolonged face-off with Mr Obi, spoke in an interview with BBC Igbo on Monday.

“Peter Obi and I are big friends. Even his family and my family are close.

“His wife is my child’s baptismal godmother while my wife is his child’s confirmation godmother,” he said.

The Anambra governor, who spoke largely in Igbo, stressed that his rift with the NDC candidate was completely political.

“When we talk of our political differences, everyone has their interests. We’re doing politics,” he stated.

Mr Soludo, a former governor of CBN, then recalled that when he was the APGA governorship candidate for the 2021 Anambra governorship election, which he won, Mr Obi had supported Oselake Obaze, the then PDP candidate.

“He (Obi) had a different vision. He had someone he believed was the right person to become governor of Anambra State.

“I was also seeking to be governor then, but he supported who he wanted as governor. However, I prevailed by the grace of God. And I don’t hold it against him,” he said.

In late 2022, Mr Soludo predicted that Mr Obi, then Labour Party presidential candidate, would not win the 2023 presidential election, citing “lack of political structure” and poor voting strength of the South-east, where he hails from.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC, the Anambra governor said he stood by his words.

He suggested it would be much harder to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the forthcoming 2027 election because of incumbency advantage.

Mr Tinubu, who defeated Mr Obi in the 2023 election, is seeking re-election on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform.

“If you didn’t disarm a warrior while he was lying down, you wouldn’t do so while he was standing,” Mr Soludo said, suggesting that Mr Obi was unlikely to defeat Mr Tinubu now, having not done so in 2023 when the president was not in power.

“Even if he has united opposition, it does not guarantee that he will defeat an incumbent (President Tinubu),” he added.

The Anambra governor argued that the low South-east voting strength meant that Mr Obi needed to collaborate with other regions to become president.

“I was the one who asked him to come to pick the APGA presidential ticket in early March 2022.

“That was before he contested for president in 2023. But asking him to pick the party’s ticket didn’t mean he was going to win. It was for us to use the avenue to unite Igbo people.

“When we are united, you can then go into alliance with other regions to seek power,” he stated.