The media office of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has urged Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo to stop focusing on the former governor and concentrate on governance.
The call followed a statement by the Anambra State Government urging voters, particularly All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) supporters, to reject Obi.
In a statement on Monday, spokesman for Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Idris Zekeri Jnr., described the campaign against Obi as an unnecessary political distraction.
Zekeri called on Anambra elders, religious leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to encourage Soludo to focus on the state’s challenges.
He alleged that Soludo devotes significant attention to Obi during executive council meetings, claiming that some officials had complained about the governor’s alleged preoccupation with the former governor.
The POMR spokesman also criticised the state government’s handling of flooding and disaster preparedness, alleging that warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency were not adequately acted upon.
He said the Obi administration had engaged UN-Habitat to develop master and structural plans for major cities, including Onitsha, but alleged that the current administration had not built sufficiently on them.
Zekeri further alleged that the state government had mobilised more than 500 online operatives to attack Obi, with plans to increase the number to 1,000.
He claimed the recruits were allegedly promised opportunities to nominate people for state engagements based on their online activities.
The allegations were not independently substantiated, while the state government’s response was not included in the statement.
The Obi camp also questioned the administration’s performance in infrastructure, education, waste management, erosion control and road construction.
It cited the Phillips Consulting State Performance Index, claiming that Anambra dropped from first position during Obi’s tenure to 27th under the current administration.
The statement also contrasted the monthly federal allocations received by both administrations, claiming Obi operated with an average of about ₦3 billion monthly, compared with approximately ₦25 billion currently available to the state government.
Zekeri maintained that Soludo should focus on addressing Anambra’s development challenges rather than engaging in political exchanges with Obi.
“Instead of obsessing over Obi, the governor should use those hours to tour Anambra and see how state funds are being wasted on roads that crumble while construction is still ongoing,” he said.
