Soludo: Peter Obi and I are friends, but differ politically

By Vincent Ujumadu

AWKA – Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has described the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, as a close friend, saying their differences are largely rooted in their contrasting political views and ambitions.

Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, stated this in an interview with the BBC Igbo, where he explained that both families maintained cordial relations despite their political differences.

He said Obi’s wife was the godmother of his daughter, while his wife served as the confirmation godmother to Obi’s daughter.

“Peter Obi and I are very good friends. Our two families have cordial relationship. His wife is the godmother of my daughter and my wife is his daughter’s confirmation godmother,” he said.

The governor, however, said they were on opposite sides of the political contest and had different visions.

“But on the issue of political contestation, we are fighting for our positions. I have a different vision and he has his own vision,” he added.

Soludo recalled that when he contested the Anambra governorship election, Obi had supported another candidate, but said he held no grudge against the former governor over the development.

“When I contested for governorship, he had his favoured candidate, but by the grace of God, I prevailed and I am not holding it against him,” he said.

On the 2027 general elections, Soludo said he was not opposed to Obi contesting for the presidency but questioned the prospects of an opposition candidate defeating an incumbent president without a united opposition platform.

“You could not defeat the president when he contested from outside, is it now that he is the president and seeking re-election that you will defeat him? This is not about emotion,” he said.

The governor also recalled that in March 2022, before the 2023 presidential election, he had encouraged Obi to contest on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

He said his suggestion was intended to enable Obi to mobilise support among the Igbo and subsequently form alliances with other political groups to pursue power at the national level.

“In March 2022 at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, before he contested in 2023, I wanted him to contest on the APGA platform, not because he would win, but to use it to galvanise Igbo people and then go into alliance with others to seek for power,” Soludo said.

He argued that winning a Nigerian presidential election required building political alliances beyond one region.

“You don’t win Nigerian election by being the champion of only one part of the country,” he added.