By Jude Michael
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has said that Anambra people have taken over his campaign and are driving his re-election bid.
Soludo stated this while addressing members of various ethnic groups from the 35 states of the federation residing in Anambra State who endorsed him for a second tenure in office.
This is coming as all teachers in the state under the umbrella of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), while being hosted to mark the World Teacher’s Day, also endorsed the Governor.
The Governor, who was visibly excited, said that from what was happening in the state, the people had taken over his campaign, adding that he was humbled by their action, even as he promised not to disappoint them.
While addressing the people at the event organized by the Patriots at the International Convention Centre, Awka, Soludo said: ‘I’m deeply humbled by the outpouring of sentiments expressed by various tribes. I appreciate your support for us to go for second tenure. I do not take this for granted.
‘I’ve been in public service at the national level and I am now in Anambra State and we live out the same principles. I don’t care where you come from. Some of my best friends are Moslems from the north. The best two drivers I ever had were from the North. Two of them are from Kogi and it didn’t matter to me where they came from.
‘Some of the finest friends I’ve had were not of the same religion with me. They are not Igbo, not Christians. That is why in Anambra, we have one state, one agenda. We don’t have boundaries. Religion, location, local government is not our concern. Once you live in Anambra, you are of Anambra.
‘God didn’t make a mistake in putting us together as people of the same country with potentials to be the leader of the black race.
‘So, wherever we find ourselves, we should accept each other and walk the talk. We should live it out every day of our lives. What should concern us is what each of us can offer, not the language you speak or where you come from.’
He added that when it was time to pay for nomination form, several groups paid for it such that at a stage he wondered if it was not just one nomination form.
‘When the campaigns began, the three senatorial zones held endorsement rallies and even added chieftaincy titles. The North Senatorial Zone gave N70m, the South Senatorial Zone gave N100 million while Central also gave N70 million. By the time I finished spelling my name, communities started giving cheques. Obosi – N50m, Igboukwu – N50m, Oraifite – N100m, Ojoto – N 50m, Abatete – N20m, Ekwulobia – N80m and many more.
‘I will never take this your support for granted and for me, it’s a call for even greater dedication to service. We are on the march and all I can say is that we are only at the introductory stage of our development.
‘Over the next four years, once you renew my contract on November 8, then rest assured that after the next four years, anybody who comes to Anambra would be able to recognize that something marvelous has happened.
‘I am joining hands with you in building a state where I want to personally live. I want to retire and live here, take a walk on the streets. It is personal to me that we must build a place we call home.
‘It is the same for all of you who are residents here. Anambra will be a destination; it will no longer be a departure lounge. The solution is here. We must make everywhere livable in Anambra,’ he stated.
