Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has mocked opponents of President Bola Tinubu, urging voters within the state to help the president’s re-election bid forward of the 2027 common elections.
Soludo warned that rejecting Tinubu might have penalties for Anambra’s improvement, notably its skill to safe federal authorities help for main infrastructure initiatives.
The governor, who spoke in Igbo whereas addressing his supporters, mentioned voters who supposed to help opposition candidates regardless of anticipating electoral defeat ought to rethink their place.
“If we fail to vote for President Tinubu, there will be consequences for failure,” Soludo warned.
He argued that Anambra wanted federal intervention to deal with its erosion challenges, which he mentioned have been past the capability of the state authorities.
“The erosion happening in Anambra is beyond the state’s capacity. It requires federal intervention, and that is why we need to vote for Tinubu. Dike, ‘Tinubu’ whom you couldn’t take power away from when he was not yet president, how do you think he will look at you now that he is the president and you take power away from him?”
“Some people are saying, ‘We know that we will fail but let’s vote and fail’. If we fail, there are consequences for failure,” the governor mentioned.
Soludo, a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), reiterated that cooperation with the Federal Government was essential to handle the state’s infrastructure and environmental challenges.
“Erosion in Anambra is bigger than what any state government can deal with. You need the cooperation and support of the federal government,” he mentioned.
The governor additionally used an analogy involving a powerful man and his cutlass to argue that defeating Tinubu could be harder now that he occupies the presidency.
“You couldn’t snatch a cutlass from a strong man when he was on the ground, is it when he is standing up? A strong man laid down on the ground and you couldn’t take away from him what makes him a strong man, is it when he is standing so strong that he will stand and watch you snatch his cutlass,” Soludo mentioned.
Addressing Igbo voters, he criticised these advocating help for opposition candidates regardless of the potential for dropping the election.
“Igbos, a fool does not know when a plan was made. ‘Let’s fail, let’s fail’, we can’t fail with you because there are consequences if we fail,” he mentioned.
To help his argument for backing Tinubu, Soludo highlighted proposed federal highway initiatives anticipated to enhance connectivity throughout Anambra and neighbouring communities.
Among the initiatives he talked about was a deliberate dual-carriageway superhighway linking a number of communities within the South-East.
“Look at the road from Oba to Nnewi, through Nnewi South to Ugah, then to Aro Ndizogu to Ibugbe Junction in Okigwe. It is going to be designed to be a dual carriage superhighway. It is the federal government that will do it. The state government cannot do it,” he mentioned.
According to the governor, the highway mission was already on the design stage, whereas one other proposed route connecting Anambra East to Abaji was additionally being designed and mentioned.
“It is already in design now. The one that will connect from Anambra East to Abaji is being designed and there is discussion about it. When it is submitted, it is the work of the people we sent to Abuja, that is what they will do. We have started it and the President himself has approved it,” Soludo mentioned.
He warned that voters who rejected Tinubu might later battle to safe federal help for initiatives wanted by the state.
“Later, when money is put into it and work starts in the first year, you will go and vote for ‘let’s fail’, and when you fail, later you will go back to the President and tell him that the roads are still there,” he mentioned.
Soludo additional cautioned voters towards making electoral selections based mostly solely on feelings, stressing that dropping an election might have penalties for the state.
“Go to the person you voted for, whom you joined in failing. I don’t know if you people understood me? It is not just about failing. It is not what can be done with emotions. Failure has consequences. You will lose something. There is no prize for second or third positions. If you fail, you have failed,” he added.
Despite belonging to APGA, an opposition occasion, Soludo has publicly expressed help for Tinubu and maintained an alliance with the president.
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