Akinlabi Emmanuel
A former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Victor Oye, on Friday praised Prof. Charles Soludo, the Governor of Anambra State, as the best-performing governor in the country. Oye, who is also a member of the APGA Board of Trustees, made this statement during a world press conference held in Abuja.
The commendation comes two days after Governor Soludo approved tax exemptions for indigent residents whose business capital is less than N100,000, during the 35th meeting of the Anambra State Executive Council.
While urging support for Soludo’s re-election in 2025, Oye highlighted several achievements of the governor, including the effective implementation of the new N70,000 minimum wage, the completion of numerous projects, and significant infrastructure development in Anambra. Oye argued that these accomplishments place Soludo ahead of his counterparts in other states.
Additionally, Oye pointed out that Anambra State, unlike other so-called mega states, remains one of the few states in the country that is not heavily indebted.
He said, “Forget all the noise they are making about Anambra 2025. Let me re-emphasize what our national chairman has said. No governor, including those of APC, has performed as meritoriously as Soludo has done.
“The national chairman forgot to mention that some local governments in Anambra, which had never witnessed one meter of the road (construction), now have roads. Look at Okpoko. It was no man’s land before Soludo came. People get drowned there by floods every year. Today, Okpoko is the new Dubai of Anambra.
“What about payment of salaries? Soludo has injected the new minimum wage of N70,000 across the board. He has paid the one for October and November already. Anambra is also one of the few states that owed the least debt across the country.”
Earlier in his address, the National Chairman of APGA, Sly Ezeokenwa, described Wednesday’s Supreme Court judgment as a victory for the judicial system and democracy.
The court affirmed Ezeokenwa as the authentic national chairman of APGA, putting to an end the party’s leadership dispute.
In two unanimous judgments, a five-member panel of the apex court held that Edozie Njoku wrongly laid claims to the APGA chairmanship.
In the judgment read by Justice Stephen Adah, the panel held that in its 2021 judgment, only declaratory reliefs were granted and the reliefs are not executory.
Reacting on Friday, Ezeokenwa extended an olive branch to aggrieved members of the party, urging all camps to set aside their differences and work together.
He said, “The court’s decision was a crucial step in correcting the injustice that threatened the unity of our party. That Supreme Court’s judgment has firmly established the legitimacy of my leadership as the duly elected National Chairman of APGA.
“This victory is not just for APGA; it is a triumph for all Nigerians who believe in the sanctity of our democratic institutions and processes. As a party, our priority must be reconciliation and unity. I urge all members of the APGA family to set aside personal grievances and embrace the spirit of collective purpose.
“In the spirit of reconciliation and fostering unity within the party, we hereby declare that this victory is a victory for all APGA members, irrespective of the divide on which you fought. We declare that there is no victor and no vanquished!”
