“As a former governor himself, Obi knows and understands protocols and he knows that it was wrong for him to walk into a hall where the governor who is the host, was already speaking,” —Ebuka Onyekwelu
On Saturday, the governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo formally celebrated his one year in office at the international convention centre. The programme which was well attended by so many public figures and leaders of industries, left many notable marks worthy of reexamination.
First, the import of Anambra Airport commenced and completed by former Governor Obiano and secondly, the import of the international convention centre, commenced and also completed by Obiano. This speaks to the truth that any government can only build on the successes of the government before it and where there is none or so little to build on, governance becomes even more difficult. Basically, this is why it is important for every government to leave laudable legacies that will facilitate good governance both now and in the future. To this extent, it would now appear that many people are coming to terms with the fact that these legacies left by Obiano are timeless.
So far, when assessed fairly, Governor Soludo has not done badly, although still grappling with some basic issues, yet, there is hope that Soludo would still hold the steering firmly and drive the state safely to a livable and prosperous homeland. Although many of the road projects are taking time to be delivered, even as no major project has yet been initiated, yet, it is believed by many, that Soludo would still do well. If there is a way to summarize the one year celebration from the government’s viewpoint, then, it is to simply say that efforts are being made not to disappoint the people, although the challenges are much, but the government remains committed to its governance agenda.
The event which was attended by former Anambra State governor and the Labour Party Presidential candidate in the just concluded election, Peter Obi, saw a major breach of protocol with the interruption of the governor’s speech by Peter Obi. This was a major take away from that event. It is public knowledge that Peter Obi and Soludo have never been allies and Soludo did not support his presidential ambition. In fact, Soludo publicly dismissed Obi’s presidential ambition more than twice. This is where it gets intriguing as to why Peter Obi must come to the event and must come there at the time he chose to. Former governor Peter Obi walked into the venue of the event during governor Soludo’s highpoint. Soludo is the host, and when Obi walked in was when Soludo was addressing his guests and telling them what the past year has been about, as well as what the future holds. Suddenly, Obi was led by a member of Soludo’s protocol team and, to put it mildly, embarrassed and humiliated the governor while he was enjoying his spotlight moment. From all possible accounts, Peter Obi’s entry into the venue at that time was a deliberate and calculated move to smear the governor’s shine.
Peter Obi’s entry into the venue at that time was a deliberate and calculated move to smear the governor’s shine
As a former governor himself, Obi knows and understands protocols and he knows that it was wrong for him to walk into a hall where the governor who is the host, was already speaking. Obi’s entry into that hall was possibly arranged. But the interesting side of the whole show was the gross incompetence of Soludo’s protocol team. The very fact that a member of Soludo’s team led Obi into the hall, while Soludo was making the most important speech of that gathering, was a bombshell. What Soludo was doing was the whole essence of that gathering and then he was interrupted and the people being addressed were heavily distracted from listening to him. There is no way that was not a premeditated action, by Obi. Perhaps, Soludo’s protocol team is working with Peter Obi. But in any case possible to conceive of, definitely, there is something fundamentally wrong with Soludo’s protocol if one of them can boldly cause this level of monumental embarrassment to the governor in his own event.
At the end of the event, no one is talking about Soludo or what he said or his renewed assurance to the governed. Most people are just talking about how the hall erupted when Peter Obi was sighted making his way to the front row to have a seat while the governor was speaking. No doubt, it was a calculated attempt to take the shine off Soludo. But since even Soludo’s team aided such plan, it is only imperative that Soludo is advised to carefully reevaluate his team to ensure that the people he is working with are also working with him. With the aid of Soludo’s protocol team member, Obi walked to the front row and had the liberty to greet a few guests causing even more disruption of the event, before finally settling down. All these, while the governor was standing and embarrassed; Soludo was literally held hostage in his own event.
He is a Technical Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano’s Special Adviser on Legislative Matters, whoonce was a Special Adviser to a former Deputy Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly. Ebuka is a second class upper division graduate of Political Science from University of Calabar, Calabar Nigeria and holds a Masters Degree in Political Science with specialization in Government and Development Studies, from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nigeria
