A communication expert and media/public relations consultant, Dr Ambrose Igboke, has criticised Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, over his continued public exchanges with former governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, describing the feud as unnecessary and urging the governor to focus on governance.
Igboke, who is also Chairman of the Guild of Public Affairs Analysts, Enugu State Chapter, made the remarks while reacting to the recent controversy over Obi’s debt record during his tenure as Anambra governor.
The dispute followed a series of exchanges between the Anambra State Government and Obi over claims regarding the state’s debt profile during his administration.
While the Soludo administration has maintained that documentary records show outstanding domestic loans and other liabilities from previous administrations, Obi has disputed some aspects of the claims.
Speaking on the controversy, Igboke argued that Soludo’s repeated criticism of his predecessor reflected what he described as an unhealthy fixation on Obi, despite the former governor leaving office more than a decade ago.
He suggested that political events surrounding the 2014 succession, when Obi backed Willie Obiano as the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate instead of Soludo, could have contributed to lingering tensions, although he acknowledged that he had no evidence to establish this.
The public affairs analyst also questioned the tone of the governor’s interventions, saying someone of Soludo’s academic and professional stature should exercise greater restraint in public discourse.
“As an economist, I don’t think Soludo should be bandying numbers without providing proof. If he wanted to challenge Peter Obi, he should publish the facts first before making comments,” Igboke said.
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He praised Soludo’s achievements as a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), noting that his banking reforms earned him national and international recognition. However, he expressed concern that his political engagements had affected the quality of his public communication.
Igboke further criticised what he described as a pattern of divisive politics among political actors in the South-East, urging leaders to support their preferred political interests without resorting to personal attacks against fellow Igbo politicians.
He maintained that Soludo should focus on consolidating his administration’s record in Anambra rather than revisiting political disagreements dating back to Obi’s departure from office in 2014.
