Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi has described the article written by the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo on Monday, January 26, 2014 as malicious and full of hatred.
According to a statement from his media aide Mr Valentine Obienyem, Obi noted that the former CBN governor was still bitter over past experience that led to his not being re-elected as Governor of the central bank and also frustrating his political ambition in being the governor of Anambra state.
Although, Peter Obi said he agrees with some notable points raised by Soludo in his article, he however regretted that its aim was not to instruct or contribute to the growth of the nation, but rather to get back at those who purportedly thwarted his political career.
Obienyem recalled how Soludo in 2013 said Obi was the foundation upon which the new Anambra State was built, and praised him on how he succeeded in changing the situation of the state. He then wondered why Soludo would sing a different tune now by accusing his tenure embezzling states funds without any signature project by which his regime would be remembered for.
The former governor said he was shocked that a renowned economist as Soludo, who in the same essay,applauded himself of saving $45billion in the nation’s external reserves when he was the CBN Governor should condemn Obi for saving money for Anambra State and questioning the wisdom of savings when there were things that needed to be done.
The statement reads in parts “When he said he saved $45bn, does it mean that at that time Nigeria’s problems were over? Now oil price is falling and state’s allocation are bound to fall, Soludo should be told that the money Obi saved will be used to cushion the effect, among others reasons for states to save at all times. “He also talked about clearing Nigerian debts without acknowledging that the architect of it is Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who is still part of Jonathan’s Government”.
“Talking about signature project, Obi has them in abundance. He built over 30 bridges, built the State Secretariat, built the teaching hospital, built the permanent site of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu University, rebuilt Iyienu, Borromeo hospitals, Holy Rosary and St Joseph hospitals; and Our Lady of Lourdes among many hospitals with signature structures dotting them. “Beyond the foregoing”, the former governor continued, “Soludo should be told that Obi did much more in areas that are far more important than mere structures. He returned schools to the Church and committed billions that could build any form of signature project of Soludo’s imagination. Because of this, Anambra State is today the number one in external examinations in the country. “Moreover, he changed the psyche of the people of the State and removed Anambra State from her pariahs status to one of the exemplary States in the country.”
