New Telegraph

Anambra: Mr Governor and the eighty wise men

P rof Chukwuma Charles Soludo will be officially sworn in as the Executive Governor of Anambra State on the 17th of March 2022, thus ushering in a new vista of hope for the state.

 

I am burdened in the spirit to pray for him, asking God to give him the grace, the strength and wisdom to succeed. The Governor Elect remains one of the best minds and one of the most consequential former public servants in Nigeria. He is a man neither in love with titles nor in love with neither money nor publicity. He has asked to be addressed by his name or simply ‘Mr. Governor’.

 

I choose to address him as ‘Mr. Governor’. Whatever the argument, Soludo’s emergence as governor is Obiano’s biggest legacy and best parting gift to the state. I consider us lucky to have him at this critical time when we have become numbed and accustomed to bad news. Soludo came prepared.

He has his own idea of what will be his leadership style. He has made it clear that there will be no time to waste and no funds to filter.

He knocked on the state IGR and pledged to block all revenue theft. In his words: “For the sake of our children and children’s children every kobo of state funds must go in state coffers and be made to work for the people”. For his inauguration he said there will be no fanfare and that he will proceed to work from the inauguration ground, precisely he will be headed to the Okpoko slum in Onitsha which he pledged to clean up.

Those willing to serve in his team must therefore share in his vision of the future, be ready to roll their sleeves, put on their jeans and sneakers because it’s going to be work, work and work.

 

With Soludo and the simple things he has said so far, I can see a bright and shiny future for Anambra State. Power is transient. When you are in power, you have a duty to deliver good governance.

 

When you have delivered good governance, you need not worry about the loyalty or protection of your successor. Soludo himself had said a number of times that Obiano supported him without any conditions attached. I have no reason to doubt him because here is a man who says things the way they are.

During his campaign he stuck to his manifesto which to him is a social contract between him and the people. He never made promises that will not be kept.

Obiano understands that he cannot hold the leash on his successor. If he planned to install a successor he will remote control, then Soludo wouldn’t have been his choice. People should therefore stop creating problems where there are none. APGA is intact and will remain intact.

 

As a former governor, Obiano will be respected. At the inauguration of his transition committee, the Governor Elect stated that he will complete the projects commenced by the outgoing administration and will initiate new ones.

 

 

Governor Obiano ran a good race and will be happy to retire with little or no interest in either party politics or governance. He will be content, relieved and happy that the light handed over to him is still glowing and that he is leaving behind a worthy successor.

 

What becomes of the future of the state and the party will depend on the Governor Elect after he is sworn in. The speculation about a possible crack in APGA became rife after the Governor Elect released a full list of Anambra State Transition Committee members.

 

The eighty-man committee was star studded with bright minds drawn from across the Igbo land. Our own Dr Oby Ezekwesili was designated to chair the Committee that comprised the likes of Olisa Agbakoba, Ferdinand Agu, Prof Pat Utomi, Prof Greg Ibe, Dr Alex Oti, Udensi, Prof Ike and many others. I didn’t expect less from the governor elect. It is clear and obvious that a greater Anambra is within sight and is achievable. Without understanding the nature of the assignment of the Transition Committee, people were arguing that the list was humongous and lacking in prudence. They also complained that the list lacked the involvement of politicians from the state. Anyone who had listened to Soludo during his campaign or read through his manifesto wouldn’t be surprised with the composition of the list as it aligned with his vision and intention for the state. From the time he left office as Central Bank Governor, it has been his ambition to govern Anambra State. He therefore understands the weight and burden of leadership. When he won the highly contested 2022 governorship election, the sweet sound of that victory resonated across the Igbo nation. Everyone believed that in him Anambra got it right. Expectations are high and failure is not an option hence he is picking the brains of the brightest of men available. As he runs at his own pace, what we owe him at this time is our collective prayers and support. Those criticizing the composition and size of the transition committee should first understand the man Soludo, his vision and leadership style. He perfectly understands that the Transition Committee is like a bridge leading to the continuum of government, that the transition committee serves as a messenger and in no way a policy making body. The duty of the Committee to the best of my understanding is to swap files between the outgoing and incoming government with instructions and stipulations from both sides for the purpose of clarity. That the committee is a messenger without policy making and fiduciary power, is buttressed by the fact that its  membership is drawn from all over Igbo land and the hope of ndi Anambra rest on the advisory document to be submitted by the Committee. But beyond this, I would think that Soludo has used one stone to kill two birds by summoning an intellectual summit of Igbo scholars and thinkers, a summit we desperately need now more than ever. To resolve the Igbo question we need to engage ourselves and our people intellectually so as to chart a clear path for the Igbo nation. I recall in one of our conversations, he made a point that the Igbo question and agitation need to be addressed and that those frustrated by the current state of affairs need to be listened to. Should we have Igbo scholars and thinkers drive the new narrative or allow the people on the street in their discordant and incoherent strategies drive the Igbo narrative? Beyond the transition programme, I would suggest that this summit of Igbo thinkers, scholars and philosophers should be sustained and if need be expanded as a vehicle to finding principled intellectual solutions to the Igbo question. For those that they seemed left out, this is not the time to biker over non-issues. I do not think that Soludo has shut the door against those that laboured for him or ruled them out of participation in the unfolding administration.

 

I also don’t think he will be a plague to the party. Keeping the party stronger than he met it remains a top priority if the party will expand its victory in the 2023 general election and to other states. I am certain he will be open to working with anyone who measures up to his standards and expectations and will not hesitate to fire anyone holding the administration down.

 

In my opinion, he acted within his rights and within the realm of standard operational practice in his selection of a transition body which is veritably ad-hoc. I praise him for his broad mind and world view. I pray to almighty God to give him the grace, strength and wisdom to lead the state to the Promised Land. May God bless Anambra.

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