As the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Anambra State struggles with the Labour Party, LP, for the control of the political soul of the state, the presidential candidate of LP in the February 25 election, Mr. Peter Obi has insisted that he has no problem with the state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo.
Obi’s position came on the heels of a statement credited to Soludo that constituencies that do not produce APGA members during Saturday’s House of Assembly election, would not be enjoying the dividends of democracy as lawmakers from such constituencies would only be paid their salaries, while those which produce APGA lawmakers would enjoy dividends of democracy.
In the February 25 national assembly election, LP produced two senators in the state, while APGA produced none, with LP also scoring over 80% of votes in the presidential poll.
Speaking with reporters after addressing candidates of LP for the House of Assembly in Awka, Obi said he told the candidates to go about their campaigns peacefully.
He said: ” By God’s grace, they will win on Saturday and contribute in building a better Anambra State. I thank those who are supporting us and I want the best candidates to win. Election is not war.
Let me say categorically that I absolutely have no issue with the governor. Both of us remain friends and we enjoy the best of relationship.
We can have political differences, but the fact remains that he is the governor of the state. I contested for the president of Nigeria which, to the best of my knowledge, he is not a contestant.
I have told my people to go and campaign and win their election on March 18. Their duty as legislators is to work with the governor to ensure that he delivers dividends of democracy to the people. They should give him the necessary support in making laws that will help improve education, roads, health.
The lawmakers do not perform executive functions and so, there is no way they can stop him from doing his work.
He cannot ask them, as lawmakers from another political party, not to pass on the roads he built, or ask their children not to attend schools he built. If he provides water, they will drink it.
So, I don’t see any conflict anywhere. If you work, people will benefit from it, even if you don’t like them. Maybe the governor was misquoted because a lot of things happen these days.
Obi also spoke on the alleged decision of LP members in some states to support the governorship of other political parties, saying that it was individuals that give such support.
“We have a political party that is growing and that is why we are going around to urge our supporters to vote for our candidates,” he added.
