Reacting to the gunmen’s attack on a Channels TV interview, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the ex CBN boss, said: “Gov. Willie Obiano and Ndi Anambra are demanding for Soludo”. When will this name-dropping stop? Can’t Prof Soludo get along without dropping names? Can’t he run issues-based campaign without dragging the Governor into his political mercenary? Why is he consistently ingrained and unrepentantly pillorying the Governor to pick him as a successor? Is it by force by fire? Is it do or die? Why would a man, who claimed he had all the necessary contacts in the world to be whatever he wanted, be scared and panicky to face other contenders at the party’s primary election? Who is afraid of APGA’s primary election? Who?
Does it imply that without scripting Governor Obiano into his campaign drama, there’s nothing else in his manifesto? Why would ‘My Prof’ consider it a huge task convincing APGA members to support his candidature? Can’t he run the Gubernatorial race without k-leg? Prof Soludo should change his campaign tactics, it’s not working. It’s heating up the system, and political sentiments are rife intra-par. The truth is that things have evolved; the APGA of today should not be cowed into submission with the slapstick comedy our erudite scholar is exhibiting, lately.
Meanwhile, be informed that this style of politicking is obsolete, and no longer attractive. Stop dragging the Governor along the dishonourable path; APGA does not gift tickets anymore, it is no longer business as usual. Times have changed, events have redefined the status quo. Aga atu ya atu!
APGA ticket can be likened to a bride with too many suitors, while the Governor is the father of the bride. Soludo, for four years you were admiring the bride (APGA Gubernatorial ticket), you were frequenting the bride’s home without making a proposal to her. You kept winking at the bride’s father thinking that he understood your interest in his daughter. Soludo, while you had the ample opportunity, good enough time to propose to the bride, you were busy winking at the father, and smiling like the eunuchs. In the process, other interested suitors saw the lacuna, understood the bride was without a groom, paw…they swooped in on her; in torrents, marriage proposals started pouring in, seeking the hand of the bride in marriage before you suddenly realised and jerked to reality. Funnily, you were all along busy hobnobbing with the bride’s father without talking to the bride.
Prof, you were not ready to officially declare your intention to contest the Governorship election, until other interested candidates showed up, visited the Party House before you, and made their intentions known. Perhaps you were waiting for the bride to jump into your waiting arms, or the bride’s father to woe her on your behalf. Prof Soludo get on with your Gubernatorial campaigns, but stop dragging the Governor’s name up and down. You can still attract sympathy and support without singing to the world that the Governor promised to hand over the reins of power to you. Asking for ‘Option A4’ Primary election is the biggest fraud that will happen if APGA leadership concurs to your whims and caprices. You told the world that you are a BOT member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, that you know how the party operates and have suggested that Option-A4 be adopted.
Prof you cannot be a judge in your own case. You want to create a situation where people will not cast votes based on their personal convictions rather pay lip service to the cabal you have conscientiously placed above the party members? The spirit of democracy does not reside in you our dearest Prof. Me thinks, it’s high time you stopped running the old-fashioned style of political campaign, think and rejig your campaign strategy. Extricate the ever-busy and hardworking Governor Willie Obiano from your political rhetorics.
Before Barr. Babatunde Raji Fashola became the Lagos State Governor, he didn’t tell the world that the then incumbent Governor, Bola Tinubu, promised him Gubernatorial ticket. He didn’t suggest to the party how he would like the Party Primary election to go. He didn’t make noise about it. Fashola concentrated on building his manifesto in preparation to convincing the world that he would make a good Governor. 
Dear Professor of Economics, take my advice; go and learn the basic principles of politics. Consult your age long friends, who are Professors of ‘politics’, you will be afforded tutorials on how the game is played. Riding on the back of the unfortunate attack at the Isuofia Civic Centre to run a Gubernatorial campaign is desperation. May the souls of the gallant Police officers, who lost their lives in the line of duty, rest in perfect peace!
God heal the wounded hearts!
Ekenem!
My personal opinion this minute! Make no mistakes about it! No apologies!
– Dr. Harris Chuma-Odili, FCMsp (Ogene Igbo, writes from Ogbunike Cave).
