What's Going On Here?

Something Smells Funny in APGA

Something unusual is happening within APGA. One can’t help but wonder whether Charles Soludo, Anambra State’s underperforming governor, has a hidden agenda. He appears unconcerned about winning re-election, making blunders after blunders despite the looming election.

Let’s examine the facts. The state is reeling from bad roads, erosion damage, poor economic policies, and worsening insecurity. Yet, instead of addressing these challenges, Soludo traveled to the U.S. and, before a gathering of Nigerians, blamed the people of Ihiala for the insecurity in their local government area. He claimed most crimes there are committed by its own citizens, ignoring the reality that many Ihiala indigenes have fled the area due to threats to their lives and livelihoods. As Chief Security Officer of the state, the responsibility for peace and order rests squarely on his shoulders.

He created the Agunechemba outfit; a poorly trained, ill-equipped quasi-police unit. But, instead of protecting neighborhoods, they established illegal detention centers, extorting families for the release of their loved ones. Attempting to live up to his nickname “Mr. Solution,” Soludo introduced the so-called “Homeland Security” laws but provided no state funding, pushing the financial burden onto struggling communities. Meanwhile, he has appropriated billions of Naira as security votes for the state. So, where did that money go? His “security action” amounted to demolishing a few abandoned houses in a show of force and crickets after that demolition.

The most disturbing incident is the “Aka-Odo” torture scandal. This is where thugs were caught on video crushing the bones of young men with a wooden pestle. These victims were never tried in any court or found guilty of any crimes. They were simply seized, possibly on faulty intelligence, and subjected to barbaric punishment for all to see. Such cruelty has no place in a civilized society, yet it is being recorded and flaunted, further tarnishing our image before the world.

Three months ago, Soludo invited President Tinubu to commission pet projects in Anambra. Days ago, he traveled to Abuja to meet with BAT, openly backing the APC president while disparaging Peter Obi, a true maverick and trailblazer. This behavior is hardly typical of an opposition governor. It raises questions: is Soludo quietly sabotaging his own re-election? Is he positioning himself as a spoiler to siphon votes from the Labour Party, paving the way for an APC victory that could earn him a federal appointment?

The signs are troubling: his re-election campaign lacks energy, his alliance with APC is growing, and APGA supporters are increasingly disillusioned. The Labour Party must stay alert, court these wandering APGA voters, and recognize that their (APGA) leadership has been compromised.