By Praise Chinecherem
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has denied personal rift with the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Soludo who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Christian Aburime dismissed the the controversy trailing his recent opinion on the 2023 P
presidential race as figment of peoples’ imagination.
Aburime told newsmen on Wednesday that Souldo and Obi are brothers who may share different political opinions.
Hear him: “Soludo’s relationship, friendship and brotherhood with Obi is still intact, as against what many people think. I don’t know how how people created and magnified a non-existent issue, and how they are reacting Governor’s comment.
“As far as I know, there is no issue between Gov. Soludo and Obi. So I wonder why people disturb themselves and go about shouting in the media, over-reacting and issuing one threat or the other over a non-existent issue they created.
“These are totally uncalled for and the people indulging in such should have a rethink.”
Aburime maintained that the Soludo-led government remained focused on delivering the dividends of democracy to people of the state and would not be distracted by any form of verbal attack, threat or sponsored charade.
He insisted that Soludo had the right to his opinion and was entitled to it under the 1999 Constitution as Amended and in a democracy and would not succumb to blackmail, threat or attack.
“Soludo will not retract any statement, he has no regrets about what he said, because he has actually expressed his own opinion which is his constitutional rights,” he added.
Reacting on threats by some group of youths to dump heaps of refuse around the government house gates, Abarume urged them to desist from doing that.
”The youth should refrain from being used as weapons of distabilisation instead of being part of the solution to the challenges facing the state.
”The youths are both the leaders of today and tomorrow. I wonder why they would allow themselves to be used by some individuals.
“Instead of threatening to dump refuse at the Government House, they should rally support for the government of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, because his administration is actually working for the betterment of their lives.
“The governor wants to see that the youth of this present generation and the generation to come will have something that can make life more meaningful for them.
“Aside giving the youths various key positions in his administration, Soludo’s government is also currently training and empowering thousands of youths across the state in different vocational skills; youth empowerment is a major focus of his administration.
“So, I adviice the youth to think twice,” he said.
Newsmen reports that a youth group, under the aegis of Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) threatened to dump heap refuse at the Anambra Government House on Friday to protest the alleged rift between Soludo and Obi.
The group also demanded that Soludo retracts his comments against Obi.
