Anambra Governorship Debate: Uba, Soludo, Valentine in battle of words [A recap]

Three strong candidates contesting the Anambra governorship seat on Monday had a face-off in an interview organised by Arise TV.

Below is a recap of the battle of words among Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Charles Soludo of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), and Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Note: The paragraphs below were extracted from our live update on Twitter, follow us for more.

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Andy Uba has asked for a minute silence for those killed in Anambra including Professor Akunyili.

The Candidate of the PDP, Valentine says “it is not enough to observe a minute silence for the dead but to act and fix what is wrong with Anambra State” – “we need people who are classy and trendy”.

Charles Chukwuma Soludo says the world has changed and the world is into the 4th industrial revolution and Anambra State must be looking for a transformational leader in these difficult times and he talks about his public and private service experiences

In my thirties I accomplished virtually everything that had to be accomplished says Chukwuma Soludo. He says he has served 3 Presidents in Public Service so far in Nigeria and acknowledges his national honor.

I am the third time winner of the best governor of the Central Bank in the world says Professor Soludo. “I have been able to think through the challenges of Anambra” ~ Soludo

“I want to give Anambra a Liveable and smart mega city” ~ Soludo said in his first introductory remarks.

“I am passionate of solving our basic problems of rural infrastructure” says Valentine – the candidate of the PDP as he makes his submission in the introductory part of the debate.

“I am satisfied to the extent that enough personnel has been deployed but I am not satisfied that we allowed the situation to get this far” – Mr Valentine of the PDP makes his case for security situation in the state – he asks for accountability

The insecurity in Anambra is a recent phenomenon says Prof Soludo of APGA. He says Anambra has remain largely a safe haven and that the Governor has risen to the challenge of insecurity in the state along with federal forces and local collaborators.

Professor Soludo makes case for (1) intelligence gathering (2) dialogue with non-State actors and the third (3) Prosperity, Jobs and Opportunities for youths . “Upsurge in insecurity is politically motivated” says Soludo of APGA.

Senator Andy Uba says voter Apathy has always been the issue in Anambra State and it is nothing new he proceeds to blame the Governor for his refusal to engage the people.

“The single most critical need for Ndi Anambra is providing security let’s shift from casting blames and the reality is that both APC and APGA have failed Anambra State” says Valentine of PDP.

“If they’re the ones that created the insecurity problems, they can’t be the ones to solve it, I was part of #EndSARS Protest for instance because I know where it pinches,” ~ Says Valentine of the PDP

“You were in Sebate for 8 years not one word on IPOB,” ~ Prof Soludo attacks Andy Uba of the APC on his credentials. He proceeds to say insecurity in Anambra was started by the PDP and that Valentine isn’t informed about the numbers in the state.

I believe in dialogue and I believe in the vigilante groups says Andy Uba – “I have no business with kidnapping in Anambra State”.Senator Uba responds for accusations by Prof Soludo about kidnapping and insecurity that started in Anambra State.

“You are saying I have been at the senate for 8 years and I didn’t do anything – I made sure you are the central Bank Governor, they brought you to me” says Andy Uba in response to Soludo who had earlier attacked him.

There’s a faceoff between Professor Soludo and Senator Andy Uba, Soludo says Andy has no school certifications and proceeds to accuse him of forging his certifications and the face-off continues while moderators manages the two.

“We know Anambra is broken and I am here to fix it” ~ Says the candidate of the PDP, Valentine.

“On IPOB, 2016,2017, I am on record speaking – I am the one that led prominent Igbos to go to Kuje and dialogue with him (Nnamdi Kanu) and days later he was released – I believe in a democracy you put everything on the table” ~ Soludo

“Agitations happen when leaders fail their people and Igbo people are part of the victims and I urge for Nnamdi Kanu to be released and I urge for dialogue and I urge for IPOB to be un-proscribed” ~ Valentine on IPOB

I believe in engagements and I believe in dialogue if we don’t engage them how do we know what their problem is says Andy Uba on IPOB.

“Peter Obi Relatively did well as an APGA Governor implementing on APGA Manifesto” ~ says Professor Chukwuma Soludo on Infrastructural development in the state. He vows to declare a state of emergency on roads.

Professor Soludo on infrastructure makes an argument for funding to salvage the infrastructure in the state.

“Beyond deploying state resources, I have said how I will leverage the power of private sector – in Anambra the greatest resources we have is our people and we recognize them and we will support them and compliment” ~ Valentine of PDP says govt money alone can’t fix roads.

“I will declare a state of emergency for the raods, it is deplorable where the roads are” says Andy Uba but Professor Soludo interjects and interrupts Andy while he speaks and makes his arguments for the roads and infrastructural development.

“first thing you do when you want to govern a place you must deal with facts says Soludo on IGR for Anambra “We will deploy technology to ramp up our IGR and ramp it up to %5 of the economy of Anambra, we have done so before”~ Soludo says he wasn’t named best governor for nothing.

“My record in public service is that I do what I say I will do, I am the one with experience who has had to raise over a billion dollar to set up a financial institution” ~ Charles Soludo says he is the only one who has done it before.

“We need to relay this to the people of the grassroots , when we begin to relate the reality, Anambra deserves far more – I was in banking and what we suffered was failure of regulation while he was at CBN” – Valentine takes a dig at Soludo

“There’s so much waste around, we spend money on frivolities” Valentine says the Obiano govt inherited much more than has been accounted for the people and the debt ratio currently in the state.

Andy Uba says he has plans for the huge gas reserves in Anambra. “he doesn’t know what he says he is not a leader” ~ Uba takes a swipe at Soludo again . “When you left CBN, the economy collapse, I’m sure you know what Okonjo said about you”.

“We will set up an industrial Park” ~ Says Andy Uba

“We need to sit down and dialogue, we need to engage says Andy Uba”. the candidate of the APC on whether or not he condemns the activities of IPOB in the State.

There seems to be endless face-off between Andy Uba and Chukwuma Soludo, “We are going to be planting trees” to stop erosion says Andy Uba.

“I intend to run a performance driven governance where people are rewarded when they do well and are punished when they do wrong” ~ Valentine says he will provide better primary healthcare and bring back medical professionals that had left.

“About %75 percent of the healthcare facilities in Anambra is private sector driven, let me just say that for starters and for Covid-19 Anambra deaths records is about the lowest in the Country” ~ Soludo

“We need to scale up our health insurance system, we need to upgrade our infrastructure and remuneration of our healthcare personnel” ~ Says Chukwuma Soludo on HealthCare in the State.

“When it comes to Covid-19, I’m not sure the govt has done well, they would have used the churches – we will get people that want to invest in health to invest in our general hospitals” ~ says Andy Uba.

Professor Soludo says he sleeps and wakes up with Obasanjo, a claim, Andy Uba also insisted he is the one who sleeps and wakes up with Obasanjo.

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