Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has said he remains on friendly terms with former governor Peter Obi despite their political differences, insisting that disagreements over politics have not affected their personal relationship.
Soludo made this known during an interview with BBC News Igbo on Monday, where he explained that both families maintained a cordial relationship despite supporting different political interests.
“Peter Obi and I are good friends. Our two families are on good terms,” the governor said.
He further explained that their political disagreements should not be mistaken for a personal feud, adding, “But when it comes to politics, give me mine, give him his. It’s politics that is being done.”
Soludo also addressed their differences during the last Anambra governorship election, noting that Obi supported a different candidate while he pursued his own political ambition.
“He has someone he thinks should be the governor of Anambra. I am also listening. He supported the person he wanted. But I won by the grace of God,” he said.
The governor’s comments come amid renewed disagreements between both politicians over Obi’s record in office and the financial situation of Anambra State when he left office in 2014.
Soludo also revisited his controversial 2022 article in which he questioned Obi’s chances of winning the 2023 presidential election. He clarified that his argument was not that Obi could not win, but that his candidacy would divide opposition votes and potentially benefit the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“In fact, I also wrote to him that his participation would take away a lot of votes from the PDP and make it easier for Tinubu to win,” Soludo said.
The governor further argued that a united opposition would not necessarily guarantee victory against an incumbent president.
“Even if you have a united opposition, it still does not guarantee you get to defeat an incumbent,” he said.
Soludo also disclosed that he personally invited Obi to join the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in March 2022 to contest the presidency, explaining that their initial discussions focused on mobilising the Igbo people rather than simply pursuing political power.
“It was me myself who invited him to APGA so he could run,” he stated.
