The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Soludo

  • Charles Soludo recieves criminal summons from Abuja court

     

    The Upper Area Court Zuba in Abuja has issued a criminal summons against the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and factional candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Charles Soludo, over a criminal complaint brought before it by one Oliver Bitrus.

    In the processes seen by our correspondent, Bitrus alleges “serial abuse of office and breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers by the defendant, while he held office as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria between May 29, 2004, to May 29, 2009.

     

    Bitrus alleged, “Between the period the defendant held office as a Public Officer he flagrantly breached the Code of Conduct for Public Officer by buying or acquiring interest in a property known and described as No. 50 Brondesbury Park, London, NW6 7AT, United Kingdom.”

     

    He also alleged that the property was acquired using a proxy known as Universal Energy Company Limited and that the purchase price £2,150,000 was paid in a single tranche on October 20, 2006 which was not fairly attributable to his income as the Governor of CBN at the material  time.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • APGA decides in Anambra

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    Barring any last-minute change of heart, former Central Bank governor, Prof. Charles Soludo is on the verge of being made the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra state, through the insistence of Governor Willie Obiano. Southeast Bureau Chief, NWANOSIKE ONU gives a background to today’s APGA primary and the implication of the development for the ruling party

     

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is enmeshed in crisis ahead of the governorship election scheduled to hold on November 6. The party’s primary, which is taking place today at the Prof Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Centre in Awka is already embroiled in crisis.

     

    The governorship battle is between the government forces and the other contenders. Without giving other aspirants an opportunity to stake a claim to the party’s ticket, Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano and his troop have already chosen the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo to fly the party’s flag during the November 6 governorship election.

     

    To achieve their purpose, the APGA leadership had to disqualify some key aspirants such as Chukwuma Umeoji, who currently represents Aguata Federal Constituency at the National Assembly and Smart Okafor, who represents Nnewi North State Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly.

     

    A former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo and some other contenders were also disqualified for the primary.

     

    But, the choice of Soludo by the forces that be without proper procedures in the party has led to a major division within the APGA ahead of today’s primary.

     

    Today is a major decision-making day in the life of the party that prides itself as a movement in Anambra State. The fight has equally led to the change of mantle at the national secretariat of the party, with Chief Jude Okeke being named last week as the new Acting National Chairman. The development came as the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) sacked the two factional chairmen that had been laying claim to the position.

     

    While some key stakeholders have continued to warn the party leadership about what they describe as the looming disintegration signals facing APGA as a political platform, some others say there is no cause for alarm. For instance, a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka (Ogilisi Igbo) has warned those trying to foment trouble in APGA to desist forthwith.

     

    He said the removal of former factional National Chairman, Chief Victor Oye and other chieftains of the party means they want to incur the wrath of the party. He urged them to sheathe their swords before it is too late. Ezeonwuka was referring to last week’s suspension of Oye as National Chairman and the appointment of Okeke in his place as acting chairman.

     

    Speaking with The Nation, Ezeonwuka alleged that Okeke and his group were hired by opposition political parties to disorganize APGA.

     

    Another chieftain of the party, Comrade Obi Ochije also told The Nation that such efforts will end up in futility. He insisted that APGA does not have any form of crisis.

     

    Ochije said the Okeke-led group is disgruntled and is scheming to extort money from those he described as the gullible ones.

     

    He added that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already taken the delegates list for the primary from the Oye-led national executive and that the party’s primary election will go unhindered in a free and fair manner.

     

    Already, the Governorship Screening Committee has disqualified the major challenger to Soludo to pave the way for the renowned economist to emerge as the party’s flag bearer. The trio disqualified are the ones considered as obstacles to Soludo’s emergence.

     

    Those cleared to contest today’s primary are Prof. Soludo, Damian Okolo, ThankGod Ibe and Ezenwankwo Okwudili.

     

    But, the disqualified aspirants have appealed the party’s decision, while further directives are being waited. The Nation gathered at the weekend that the party said they remain disqualified, which means they would not take part in today’s primary.

     

    The party’s decision to disqualify the major contenders without cogent reason has already made today’s exercise a mere formality. There is no obstacle standing between Soludo and the party’s ticket, as none of the other aspirants has what it takes to challenge the former CBN governor.

     

    Besides, no one challenges his or her ‘Chi’ (personal god) because the governor is such in this game. The same scenario played out some years back between former Governor Peter Obi and Senator Uche Ekwunife at the same Prof Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Centre. The rest is history.

     

    Before the disqualification exercise, The Nation learnt that all political appointees had been lined up to vote for Soludo to coast to victory.

     

    The powers must have seen the handwriting on the wall, thus the decision of the screening committee to weed out those that would possibly challenge the former CBN governor for the ticket.

     

    Soludo has already been declared the winner of the primary even before the contest. But, will the wounded continue keeping mum? One of the chieftains of the party, who spoke with The Nation in confidence, said “this is the beginning of the end of APGA”.

     

    The source said they are still meeting and discussing the entire scenario; to consider what the far-reaching implications will be for APGA.

     

    The party’s State Chairman, Sir Norbert Obi told The Nation that the primary will take place unfailingly at Prof Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Centre. He said what some people see as a crisis in APGA is part of the thing that makes the party stronger as a family.

     

    On the disqualification of the aspirants, Obi declined to comment. Rather, he said only the screening committee has the mandate to talk about it.

     

    Soludo has a date with history today, as he grabs the ticket of the party to replace Obiano. Whatever problem APGA is facing now the leaders must have it at the back of their minds the Zamfara experience of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.

     

    But, will APGA family continue to be the same after the primary to face the  challenges of the opposition parties? Only time will tell.

     

     

    Source: www.thenationonlineng.net

  • Soludo Recounts how he was Attacked

     

    A former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has narrated how he was attacked by gunmen at a political gathering in Anambra state on Wednesday.

     

    The Professor of econometrics, who is also an aspirant in the November 6 governorship election in Anambra, was meeting with youths at Isuofia community when the gunmen stormed the area and opened fire, The Nation learnt.

     

    Three police officers attached to Soludo were killed during the attack

     

    Speaking on Thursday during an interview on Channels TV Politics Today monitored by The Nation, Soludo said he would not like to conclude the attack was ‘politically motivated’.

     

    Recalling the incident, he said: “We were having an interactive town-hall meeting. We finished the diocesan crescent mass at about 2pm, and by 4:00pm, they scheduled an interactive town-hall meeting with the Isuofia youths

     

    “And by the way Isofia happens to be my hometown… I’m a village boy; this is where I feel safest anywhere in the world. I walk the streets, I jog on the streets, I take long walks, I mean I’m everywhere as a village boy as it were.

     

    “With this interactive session with over a thousand youths seated, and I was just making preliminary remarks to open up the interactive session with other dignitaries from the community, commissioners and members of the House of Assembly, former commissioners, former members of the house, and several other dignitaries were in attendance

     

    “And just as I was about to wrap up, and for them now to open up comments, questions and answers, I heard gunshots. At first I thought maybe the policemen were shooting in the air and concurring with the kind of exuberance in the hall itself…

     

    “And until I began to hear people screaming, and all of that, and everyone scampered for safety, but then when it was all over, it took several minutes about 10 to 15 minutes of continuous gun battle, going back and forth…stopping and starting again.

     

    “By the time we all came back, we saw three dead bodies lying in the pool of their blood – they were the three policemen… and like I said earlier, may God grant their soul eternal rest… we’ll continue to pray and support the families.

     

    “And then, the commissioner was abducted. I understand that when they ran and jumped the fence, some people grabbed and took him away… our prayers are with him. We pray for his safe return.”

     

    He said: “The DSS, police, army and civil defense were all in my house… I was totally unhurt in anyway.”

     

    When asked if the attack was politically motivated to abduct or attack him, he said: “I think there are all kinds of theories as it were, I do not want to prejudge or preempt the investigation that is ongoing because I understand some persons have been apprehended and also providing useful information.”

     

    Soludo affirmed he is a friend to all the other contestants in the state.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.thenationonlineng.net

  • Gunmen Attack Soludo at Isuofia

     

    Gunmen, at about 5pm, yesterday, attacked the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Charles Soludo, killing three policemen guarding him.

     

    Soludo, who is a governorship aspirant for the November 6 election, on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), was addressing youths of Isuofia at their civic centre when the gunmen struck.

     

    Unconfirmed reports have it that the state Commissioner for Public Utilities, Emeka Ezenwanne, was taken away.

     

    An eyewitness at the event, who preferred anonymity, told Daily Sun that the gunmen also made away with the policemen’s rifles.

     

    “We were at a meeting in Isuofia, gunmen came there and started shooting. They killed our three policemen there. Prof. is safe, but we don’t know his whereabouts at the moment.

     

    “Prof was addressing Isuofia youths. As he was speaking, gunmen invaded there and started shooting. I was there. Everybody started running. They  killed three policemen.

  • APGA denies endorsing Soludo as candidate for the November 6th election

     

    All All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), yesterday, said it has not endorsed former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Chukwuma Soludo, as APGA candidate for the November 6 governorship election.

     

    The party said it would conduct a free and fair primary for the November 6 governorship election which it described as inevitable.

     

    APGA Media Warriors’ National Coordinator, Chinedu Obigwe, in a statement, said those talking about a plan to impose Soludo as the party’s candidate were deceiving themselves.

     

    “Politics is a game of horse trading and that is what is currently going on in APGA ahead of the party primary.

     

    “The only thing is that the governor foot soldiers are not happy with those that want to play spoilers’ role game against the party in the November 6 governorship election hence the reason they are doing the needful to checkmate them.

     

    “No stone will be left unturned in ensuring the pretenders masquerading to be governorship aspirants in APGA are put to shame.

     

    “APGA is poised to retain Anambra State by clinching a landslide victory in the forthcoming governorship election.“There is no plan to impose Soludo as APGA candidate for the election and my advice to those peddling the false rumour is to stop deceiving themselves.”

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Soludo reveals in his Interactive session with Journalists how his life and Family was threatened severally during his Tenure as the CBN Governor

    A former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Charles Soludo, has said his family went into exile because of several threats to their lives when he introduced the banking consolidation policy in 2004.

     

    Soludo added that he received 19 written threats to his life following that policy.

     

     

    He stated this in an interactive session with some journalists in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

     

    Soludo, who is contesting for the governorship of Anambra State on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, said a good leader must be adamant and revolutionary when embarking on progressive policies.

     

    He said, “I am a very impatient person to see change happen and I am passionate in anything I focus on. At that time, no bank in Nigeria was in the top 1,000 banks in the world. If you needed to make an investment of $500m, you had to go through the then 39 banks and it was an impossible task.

     

     

    “If you wanted to borrow abroad, there was no bank here to guarantee that. So, I came to the realisation that if we wanted to build a private sector-driven economy, it was not possible with the rickety ‘mama and papa’ banks, which could not guarantee even N3m loan. We, therefore, needed to pull down the house and rebuild it.

     

    “There was nothing I did not see. I received 19 written threats to my life. Even there were attempts to kidnap my children at Offa in Kwara State. So, it was a very brutal revolution. I had to evacuate my family during the banking consolidation because when you want to uproot a system, it is usually a deadly routine.”

     

     

    The Professor of Economics said his quest to govern the state was not for personal enrichment as God had blessed him all round, even bef ore he became 30 years.

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Soludo promises that his government will employ 1 million youths every year

    A former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has said if elected governor of the state in the November 6 poll, he will empower no fewer than one million youths annually.

     

    Soludo, who is contesting the governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, stated this while addressing stakeholders of the party in Awka, Anambra State.

     

    The professor of Economics described APGA’s victory in the November 6 election as a major determinant of the future and lifespan of the party as a political organisation.

     

    He called on APGA faithful to deploy measures that would ensure victory for the party in the poll.

     

    He said, “My mission is to work with all members of the party to spread the party across Nigeria. I will turn APGA from a political party into a cooperative movement.

     

    “Anambra Vision 2070 is a 50-year plan that will make the state liveable and prosperous for our children.

     

    “The election is consequential and no APGA member must joke with the election. APGA over the past 15 years has taken Anambra into global heights.

     

    “In spite of declining receipts from the Federation Account, the state wants to complete an International Airport City, Conference centre, stadium and other facilities.

     

    “Our target is to empower not less than a million youths every year; the poor will be given a series of opportunities to transform their lives. We need to consolidate the lofty economic policies of Governor Willie Obiano. It is a collective responsibility.”

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Soludo should drop out of the November 6 governorship race and seek international jobs like Okonjo-Iweala – Akachukwu Nwankpo

    former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, on Technical Matters, Akachukwu Nwankpo, says a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, should emulate his peers and seek international jobs like former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who recently emerged as the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation.

     

    He advised Soludo to drop out of the November 6 governorship race instead of grandstanding as the sole governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in the race.

     

    Soludo had last week formally declared his intention to contest in the poll on the platform of APGA amid wide jubilation across the state.

     

    But Nwankpo who spoke in the Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area on Sunday said, “Soludo is a very brilliant Anambra son who is renowned and very well-travelled. I once teased him by asking him why he is here in the governorship race, when he ought to be in the world space. I hear Okonjo-Iweala every day, doing all the things she does around the world, and we believe Soludo should be there too. That is the kind of place that befits him.

     

    “The notion that the APGA ticket is settled and reserved for him is a strategy to convince everyone that the APGA race for the ticket is closed. It is a brilliant approach, but it is not true. It is only a gimmick to scare others.”

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com