Anambra APC scores Soludo low, dismisses Umahi’s commendation

The All Progressives Congress, Anambra State chapter, has advised Governor Chukwuma Soludo not to be carried away by the praises recently showered on him by the  Minister of Works, Dave Umahi.

According to the APC, Umahi’s commendation for Soludo was merely a political statement, which did not reflect the true situation on the ground.

Umahi had on Tuesday commended Soludo, who belongs to the All Progressives Grand Alliance, for leading Anambra on the path of transformation.

The minister spoke during the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Phase 2B of the access road to the Second Niger Bridge, at Ogbunike (33 Nkwelle Junction) along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.

But reacting to the development, the Publicity Secretary of the Anambra APC, Dr Valentine Oliobi, during a press briefing in Awka on Thursday, described Umahi’s comments as anti-party, adding that the praises he showered on Soludo were “hollow, contradictory and oxymoronic”.

Oliobi, who was flanked by other members of the APC, insisted that three years of Soludo’s leadership and 19 years of APGA rule in the state had not translated into any meaningful progress for Anambra State.

He said, “Recently, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, while on an official working visit to Anambra State, showered Governor Soludo with praises, but let’s not be fooled—that praise was hollow, contradictory and oxymoronic. A governor should not be clapping for himself when the house is on fire.

“Ndi Anambra are not carried away by Minister Umahi’s sugar-coated words, because in between the lines of the so-called praises are nothing but a diplomatic way of expressing disappointment by the minister. If Soludo’s infrastructural projects were truly groundbreaking, why are the newly built roads already washing away with the rains?

“If Anambra is truly on the path of transformation, why do investors continue to overlook the state? If Umahi truly meant his words, why did his tone sound more of a surprise than genuine admiration?

“In this period, and particularly in the last three years, Anambra State lost all its investments to uncontrolled spending and insecurity. Today, we must tell ourselves the bitter truth—Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration, after three years in office, has fallen short of expectations.

“When Soludo assumed office, he painted a grand picture of a livable, smart, and prosperous Anambra Dubai-Taiwan. He promised economic transformation, security, modern infrastructure, and good governance. But three years down the line, Anambra is still crawling where it should be sprinting.”

The APC claimed that instead of tackling the real issues, Soludo was more interested in accolades.

“Let us not mistake a handshake for a hug. Umahi, being an engineer himself, knows what real infrastructure looks like. He was sincerely very disappointed with the politically motivated awards of contracts by Soludo in the bid to seek reelection.

“What he saw in Anambra was not impressive, but underwhelming. His remarks were not a validation of success but a subtle reminder that Anambra is not where it should be. It is amusing that Governor Soludo and his cohorts are yet to read the handwriting on the wall that a leader who bathes in flatter slips on the soap of failure.”

According to the APC, Soludo has performed poorly on infrastructure, economy and security, adding that one of the biggest disappointments of Soludo’s government is the poor quality of infrastructure and the mismanagement of insecurity in the state.

“Before our very eyes, roads constructed by this government in less than 24 months are already crumbling even before the ribbon-cutting ceremonies are over. In Aguata, Onitsha, Nnewi, etc poor drainage systems have turned our streets into rivers after every rainfall exposing Anambra citizens to unprecedented danger.

“Governance is not about patching potholes and celebrating mediocrity. If Soludo truly wants to leave a legacy, he must build roads that last beyond a single rainy season. Infrastructural development should not be a sandcastle washed away by the tide of incompetence.

“If other states are building bridges to the future, why is Anambra still struggling with roads that don’t last a year? After three years, the Soludo-led government has recorded no real-time value because no real effort was occasioned by the government to up the ante in the enabling environment and regulatory emplacement.

“Investors are avoiding Anambra because there is no confidence in the government’s policies. The much-promised industrial-tech revolution is still a mirage in the desert of broken promises. Anambra has the potential to be the economic heartbeat of the Southeast, but under Soludo, the pulse is weak, and the heartbeat is fading,” the party added.

The APC also stated that Soludo had refused to account for how he utilises tens of billions of naira monthly doled out by the Federal Government as a security vote, leaving Anambra State vulnerable to criminals of all shades, fueling a wave of unchecked violence and abductions.