AWKA, Nigeria – The Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has voiced its dissatisfaction with recent comments made by the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, regarding Governor Charles Soludo’s performance during his first three years in office.
The APC has alleged that the praise offered by Umahi shows his full backing of Soludo’s second-term ambitions ahead of the governorship election scheduled for November 8, 2025.
During the official launch of the construction of Phase 2B of the access road to the Second Niger Bridge at Ogbunike/33 Nkwelle Junction along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Umahi commended Governor Soludo for his achievements in office.
However, the Anambra APC has strongly disagreed with the Minister’s remarks.
In response to the praise, Dr. Valentine Iliobi, the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, addressed journalists at the party’s secretariat in Awka on Thursday, March 27, 2025, describing Umahi’s comments as “hollow, contradictory, and oxymoronic.”
Iliobi pointed out that while Soludo’s government had promised to reduce the cost of doing business and attract investors, Anambra’s economy remains stagnant, with businesses continuing to face high taxes and a lack of vital infrastructure like reliable power and public transportation systems.
“After three years, Soludo’s government has recorded no real-time value,” Iliobi said, adding that Anambra’s economy, despite its potential, is “like a car with a full tank but no driver.”
Iliobi further criticised the Governor’s inability to create a conducive environment for investment, describing the much-promised industrial-tech revolution as “a mirage in the desert of broken promises.”
He also accused the Soludo administration of failing to address the needs of business owners, who are struggling in a challenging economic climate.
The APC spokesperson also highlighted what he sees as a conflict of interest between Umahi and Soludo, noting that the two leaders have joint interests in several major infrastructure projects in the state.
These include the Amawbia/Ekwulobia/Uga Federal Road, the dualisation of the Nnewi/Okigwe Federal Road, and the construction of a 17.5 km dual carriageway linking the Second Niger Bridge to the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
Iliobi suggested that Umahi’s support for Soludo’s reelection may be influenced by his involvement in these projects, stating, “So, what do you expect him to say about Gov. Soludo’s reelection?”
In his closing remarks, Iliobi expressed confidence in the APC’s ability to challenge Soludo’s government in the upcoming election, stating that the party is “poised to connect the State to national politics.”
He also argued that Soludo’s attempts to garner support from the presidency had been unsuccessful, citing the fact that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a core member of the APC, is committed to the party’s victory in Anambra.
“Soludo’s antics to garner the support of the Presidency were all in futility,” Iliobi concluded.
“President Tinubu is very interested in his party, APC, winning Anambra State Governorship election, especially remembering that Gov. Soludo supported Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP in the 2023 presidential election.”
