The Labor Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has responded to the Governor’s criticism of him charles soludo from Anambra State.
Mr. Obi is a former governor of Anambra State.
Mr. Soludo, while appearing as a guest on Channels TV’s Politics Today show on Thursday, said the value of Mr. Obi’s investments while he was governor of the state was “worth nothing”.
Several people believed to be supporters of the LP candidate condemned Mr. Soludo for the comments.
However, alok statement on Monday, the governor said he stood by his words and accused Mr Obi’s supporters of “harassing anyone who expresses the slightest dissent”.
Mr. Soludo, an economics professor, also criticized Mr. Obi for rejecting requests to return to the All Progressives Grand Alliance, where he was offered the party’s presidential ticket, according to Mr. Soludo.
The governor announced that Mr. Obi would not win the 2023 presidential election, citing the “lack of political structure” and poor voting power in the South-East, where the LP candidate hails from.
But responding on Monday, Mr. Obi said that while investments are bound to go up and down, a company he made some investments in as governor was still in operation and provided job opportunities to many residents of the state.
“They (Soludo) said it (investment) is worthless, we invested N3.5 billion in International Breweries… That facility is there, directly and indirectly employing over 10,000 Anambarians. The stock used to sell at N50. Today today the stock is about N5. Maybe that is what he (Soludo) was referring to. But that was less than five percent of what I left,” he said.
“When you spread your investment, some will go up, some will go down, but in general the company is still there, the company is still doing well. It’s still part of the global chain.”
ALSO READ: Obi, Kwankwaso to verify claims made at presidential town hall
Mr. Obi spoke at the 2022 Lagos Business School alumni conference in Lagos on Tuesday.
video clip of the speech was posted on Channels TV’s Facebook page.
The LP candidate also claimed that, in addition to the investment in International Breweries, his administration saved $50 million in Access, the defunct Diamond and Fidelity banks with an interest rate of at least 6.5 percent.
He mentioned the similar investments he made in other companies for the state.
“If you calculate (all) today, the money (invested) would be about N60 billion,” Mr. Obi said.
The former governor said that he resigned as governor of the state, left some savings of about N75 billion in the state treasury and did not owe contractors and suppliers who had completed their jobs.
“You’re a teacher, you should do better than me”
The LP candidate said that despite the criticism, Mr. Soludo remains his brother and close associate.
“Because of other things I didn’t achieve, God has given him (Soludo) the opportunity to do it and be successful.
“So if something is pending, the governance does not end. The people are still in government in America. So you stop where you stop, others will follow from there,” Mr. Obi stated.
“He (Soludo) is the governor of my state. He is (also) my elder brother, he is even smarter than me, (because) he is a teacher. I am a shopkeeper. So he knows more and will be able to do things better than me.
“I’ve done my bit as a trader, now the teacher is there. As a teacher he will do his own thing. The schools that I did not roof, he will roof them. This is how the government works”, added the LP candidate.
Accept PREMIUM TIMES’ journalism of integrity and credibility
Good journalism costs a lot of money. However, only good journalism can guarantee a good society, a responsible democracy and the possibility of a transparent government.
For free access to the best investigative journalism in the country, we ask that you make a modest contribution to this noble endeavour.
By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain journalism that matters and keep it free and accessible to all.
Donate
Text ad: Call Willie – +2348098788999
