Ndigbo Must Not Allow Soludo Get Away With ‘Embarrassing’ Attack On Peter Obi – Ex-Minister Osuji

As reactions continue to trail a lengthy statement written by Anambra State governor, Charles Soludo, attacking the Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, former Minister of Education, Professor Fabian Osuji, has called on him to withdraw the statement or be punished by the entire Igbo nation.

Osuji stated this in a statement he sent to THE WHISTLER on Tuesday morning.

The former Minister who’s on holiday in the U.S. said it was embarrassing that the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, who benefited from the Igbo brotherhood could turn against one of them in his quest to be a president of Nigeria.

Recall Soludo had appeared on Channels TV days ago where he criticised the investment Obi made when he was governor of Anambra State, stating it’s “worthless today.”

That interview irked not a few Obi supporters who criticised him for coming out to speak as if the investment was worthless in real terms bearing in mind Obi has been out of government for long.

That prompted another response from Soludo on Sunday via a press statement where he said Anambra People will not vote for Obi of the Labour Party.

Not done yet, the governor released a lengthy letter on Monday where he said he will not be cowed “not to speak my mind” adding pessimistically that “Obi knows it that he cannot win the presidential election.”

The governor described the Labour Party in derogatory terms saying it’s less than his All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and that only two parties would be contesting the 2023 presidential election which the Labour Party would not be one.

Osuji weighed in on the matter, saying that, “I am thoroughly embarrassed about the level of hostility being exhibited by our brother and friend Prof Charles Soludo towards Peter Obi. He cannot claim to be self made. People like us participated in making him.

“I was Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Enugu) when his papers came for approval for Professorship. I could have found reason to withhold or deny assent but we put him out and praised his work.

“That made President Obasanjo appoint him Economic Adviser without hesitation.”

He explained that three years later after Soludo had emerged a professor, three of them including Ngozi Okonjo Iweala (then Minister of Finance),Oby Ezekwesili (Special Assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Budget Monitoring) and he, who was Minister of Education were attending a Conference in Brussels when President Obasanjo called Okonjo-Iweala to ask for the nomination of Governor of Central Bank.

“We gave a unanimous vote for Prof Charles Soludo – Ministers of Finance, Education and Due Process,” he said.

He explained that, “As Ndigbo we were proud to support our brother. He was not the sole candidate,” but that “Obasanjo gave him the position.”

He stressed that, “Everyone rejoiced. That was the power of Umunna (brothers, that’s brotherhood).”

He however lamented that, “Years later, I cannot imagine the same person who benefitted resoundingly from the support of Umunna being the one to pull down his own brother who is enjoying overwhelming support elsewhere.

“I am truly ashamed of him. Ndigbo should not allow him to get away with this. He should be made to withdraw all his damaging statements against Obi.

“There is still time for him to reverse himself in this matter. Ndigbo must not allow him to get away with this,” Osuji stated.