By Ebuka Onyekwelu, Ph.D
The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, has been sworn in for a second term in office, along with his Deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezi. The swearing-in ceremony held at the Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, was attended by former Presidents, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, as well as Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Shettima Kashim. Statesman, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, was also in attendance, as well as former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka. Deputy Governors of Ebonyi, Imo, Enugu, and Kaduna States were similarly present. Former Anambra State Governor, Senator Chris Ngige, and former Deputy Governor of the State, Dame Virgy Etiaba, were in attendance. The Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Dr. Somto Udeze and the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chief Chukwuma Okoye, as well as the Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice M.O Anyachebelu, were all present. Several members of the State legislature and National Assembly, serving and former, were also present.
Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Chairman of Southern Nigeria Council of Traditional Rulers, the Chairman of Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers, and Igwe of Obosi, HRM Igwe Chidubem Iweka, Eze Iweka III, Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, among many other distinguished traditional rulers in Anambra State and beyond, were in attendance.
In business and industry, the event attracted Sir Emeka Offor, Chairman of Chrome Group, Chief Cletus Ibeto, Chairman of Ibeto Group, Barr. Allen Onyema of Airpeace, Ernest Obiejesi of Obijackson Group, Chief Daniel Chukwudozie of Dozzy Group, Chief Chidi Anyaegbu of Chisco Group, and many others. The leadership of APGA at the national and state levels were present, as well as the Anambra State Working Committee members of the APC.
Delivering his second inaugural speech as Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, expressed confidence in the days ahead, assuring the people of renewed vigor in the pursuit of a Dubai-Taiwan model of development for Anambra State. The governor thanked his wife, Mrs. Nonye Soludo, describing her as a pillar. He thanked the people of Anambra State for the unprecedented support in last November’s election, which gave the governor a whopping 73% of the total valid votes cast by Anambra voters in that election.
In his brief but profoundly remarkable speech, the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, praised Professor Charles Soludo for his courage to submit himself to the vagaries of partisan politics. In this case, Senator Shettima pointed out, Soludo is courageous to put theories to the test for the benefit of the people. The Vice President took time to analyze Soludo’s first term and expressed confidence in his second term while appreciating him for his service to the nation, including valuable counsel to the current president, as well as extolling his partisan-blind governance model.
Governor Soludo’s second term inauguration has demonstrated his high level of national appeal, as many Nigerians express confidence in the governor’s bold leadership. There is a general belief that this call to duty for a second term will usher him into a higher national duty in due course.
