A former governorship candidate in Anambra State, Dr Chike Obidigbo says he is withdrawing his support for incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo because he failed to deliver on his campaign promise of making Anambra the Dubai of Africa.
Obidigbo, an erstwhile ardent supporter of Soludo, made this known when he received a foremost governorship hopeful on the platform of the Labour Party, LP, for the 2025 guber election in Anambra State, Mr Valentine Ozigbo, in his country home, Umunya in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State on Saturday.
Ozigbo, who was the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, during the 2021 Governorship Election in the state, was at Umunya, to meet with the coordinators of the Osisioma Foundation, founded by Dr Obidigbo.
Speaking duri ng the meeting, Dr Obidigbo noted that Soludo failed the teeming Anambra people, who took him by him by his words, adding that youths in the state are suffering because the gvernment failed to provide opportunities for them to develop their potentials.
He noted that Anambra State has all it takes to become the Dubai of Africa, insisting that the problems of the Southeast and Anambra State are man-made and only good leadership can address them.
Obidigbo, an industrialist, said his foundation will lean its weight behind any candidate with the right agenda for the achievement of industrialization of the state.
Addressing the members of the Osisioma Foundation, Ozigbo said he is still in the race for the state’s helmsman job, because he believes things can be done right and the state still has another shot at redemption.
Acknowledging that the state is bleeding as a result of bad leadership, Ozigbo maintained that now is not the time to apportion blames but another opportunity to correct the wrongs of the past.
Noting that Anambra State is blessed with abundat human resources, the business leader maintained that the challenge of the state rests with leadership and the problem of leadership starts with the recruitment process.
According to him, his mantra is to restore the dignity of the state so that the state will shine again.
“Anambra people must begin to sanitize the process of recruiting the state leaders.
“People must begin to consider qualities that leaders possess and deemphasize politics of money.
“If the state must be developed, some critical sectors like education, health and security must receive prior attention.
“I have consulted with Anambra people both at the local level and in the diaspora and understand what they are yearning for. I have aggregated the needs of the state which I intend to address using the sectoral and partnership approach.
”What is left is for our people to stand up against bad leadership,” he said.
Ozigbo explained that he was in politics to turn things around, adding that he had chosen to be a purposeful politician instead of the common transactional politics which majority of the people in power are into.
He said he is the right man to change the fortunes of the state, because he pursues excellence and doggedness and believes in the culture of continued improvement.
Ozigbo told members of the foundation to hold themselves accountable, if the state makes the mistake of voting in the wrong governor for a second time, urging them to de-emphasize personal interests and pursue the best interest of the state.
In his remarks, a former Secretary to the State Government, Chief Okwuchukwu Ezeaku expressed sadness with the crop of politicians the Southeast has produced, who he said, place personal interest above the collective good of the people.
He advised Ozigbo to toe the path of proactiveness and commitment to the people’s cause, assuring him that he will definitely garner the people’s support, if they find him trustworthy.
Others who spoke at the meeting commended the Osisioma Foundation for remaining steadfast to the cause of good governance in the state, assured that they are looking forward to the direction which the Founder, Dr Obidigbo will point for them to follow.
According to them, Dr Obidigbo has remained consistent in his resolve to ensure that the right things are done in the state governance.