Okorie Makes Fresh Claim, Reveals Real Reasons Behind Soludo-Obi Rift

Founder of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chekwas Okorie, has accused Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, of using his support for President Bola Tinubu to criticise and oppose former governor Peter Obi.

Okorie made the allegation in a statement issued in Abuja, claiming that Soludo had continued what he described as a campaign against Obi, despite the former governor allegedly maintaining respect and normal courtesies towards the incumbent governor.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Okorie said he was disappointed by what he described as Soludo’s sustained criticism of Obi, alleging that the governor was using his political alignment with Tinubu as a platform to oppose the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate.

Okorie traced the alleged rift between the two Anambra politicians to three major political developments.

He identified the first as the 2009 Anambra governorship election, when Obi, who was then the candidate of APGA, defeated Soludo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Contemporary accounts confirm that Obi won the election, while Soludo finished third.

The APGA founder also cited Soludo’s disqualification from the party’s governorship primary in August 2013 as another source of tension. Reports from the period indicate that Soludo joined APGA ahead of the 2013 Anambra governorship election but was subsequently disqualified during the party’s screening process.

According to Okorie, the third issue was connected to the 2023 Anambra Central senatorial contest and the political developments surrounding APGA and its former national chairman, Victor Umeh.

Okorie alleged that these events contributed to the strained relationship between Soludo and Obi, while accusing the governor of continuing to use political disagreements to target his predecessor.

He urged Soludo to concentrate on governing Anambra State and leave Obi to pursue his political activities, insisting that Obi had continued to show the governor respect despite their political differences.

The relationship between the two former Anambra governors has previously attracted public attention. In November 2022, Soludo publicly described Obi as his brother despite acknowledging their political differences, while the two men were also seen embracing at a public event in Awka.

Okorie’s latest comments therefore add to the ongoing public debate surrounding the political relationship between Soludo and Obi, with the APGA founder presenting his own explanation for the tensions between the two politicians.