Former National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, has issued a sharp rebuke to Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo and Minister of Works Dave Umahi, urging them to cease their sustained attacks on Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi and focus instead on their own governance duties.
Speaking to newsmen in Owerri, Awuzie expressed profound concern over the apparent silence of traditional Igbo leaders and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership in the face of what he described as politically motivated character assassination. He challenged the region’s elders to actively intervene and call the duo to order.
“The patriotic Igbo man is known for speaking out. So, what are our Elders-in-Council in the South-East doing? What about those in Ohanaeze Ndigbo and those in Imeobi of Ohanaeze? Why can’t they call Soludo and Umahi to order? They should tell the duo to leave Obi alone,” Awuzie stated.
He warned that attempts to discredit Obi’s track record are ultimately futile, advising the politicians to channel their energy into public service. “There should be a limit to greed, envy and jealousy. They should face governance; govern well and minister well. They can’t be a match to Obi, no matter how they try to rubbish his credibility,” he added.
Awuzie’s intervention comes at a time of heightened tension following the Anambra State government’s recent release of a 2024 out-of-court settlement document. The Soludo-led administration presented the document, signed with the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), as fresh evidence contradicting Obi’s long-standing claim that he handed over a debt-free administration. The state government alleges the settlement addresses outstanding salary arrears related to the defunct Anambra State Water Corporation and the Anambra State Environmental Protection Agency (ANSEPA) that were allegedly left unresolved by the former governor.
SEE ALSO: Anambra Government Releases 2024 Settlement Document, Alleges Peter Obi Left Unpaid Salary
Obi has consistently and vehemently rejected such allegations. Maintaining that his administration inherited massive financial burdens from preceding governments, he has pointed to documented efforts to clear them. “We systematically liquidated historical gratuities and arrears dating back several years, amounting to over N35 billion,” Obi stated, insisting that his record must be assessed using official financial records and the context of the liabilities he inherited.
Beyond the immediate feud, the controversy highlights a broader strategic debate within the South-East regarding the path to the presidency. Former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), argued that a South-Eastern presidency is impossible without broad, cross-regional alliances.
“The President is entitled to a second term; after his term, the rotation goes to the North, and then it will come to the South-East. You need to support others, so they will support you,” Anyim explained, suggesting that the region must exercise patience and build coalitions rather than pursuing a “solo effort.”
As the 2027 election cycle accelerates, the war of words and documents between prominent Igbo politicians threatens to fracture the region’s political bond. Awuzie’s plea for elder statesmanship serves as a stark reminder: a house divided by internal score-settling cannot hope to lead the nation, and the relentless pursuit of political dominance may ultimately cost the region its most viable national aspirations.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
