Political watchers have been and will continue following the verbose altercation between two illustrious sons of Igboland, Peter Gregory Obi and Charles Chukwuma Soludo.

Interestingly, both hail from Anambra State and share the common academic background of having studied at the famous University of Nigeria, for which they are called Lions. Their feminine counterparts would be called Lionesses.

At the moment they are in the roped square, battling for the votes of the entire Igboland, one for himself and the other for his “political friend”.

Obi, who prides himself as a trader in the polity, was governor of Anambra State from March 2006 to March 2014. He even survived an impeachment in his leadership of the state which resulted in a brief break in late 2006 and 2007. Towards the end of his tenure as governor, Obi warmed himself into the hearts of the party at the centre, then the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and was invited to the high table on several occasions by then President Goodluck Jonathan.

He has since remained focused on offering his services to Nigeria at the highest office in the land.

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Soludo is the incumbent governor of Anambra State. An office he unsuccessfully vied for in 2010 under the PDP. He faced defeat in the hands of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), led by Obi.

Obi Versus Soludo
The electorate understand that both are ambitious politicians, who would give whatever they deem fit to fuel the fire of their political appetite.

The fact that Soludo switched from the PDP to APGA to realise his gubernatorial ambition speaks volumes to politicians, their loyalty and ambitions.

Their academic backgrounds show that Obi earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1984, while Prof Soludo earned three degrees and a professorship in economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, winning the prize for the best graduating student at every level. He etched his name into national consciousness during his tenure as the Economic Adviser to the President, which earned him appointment as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). An office he used to engineer banking reforms in Nigeria and endear himself to the citizenry.

Their stories become more intriguing when mirrored in the political microscope.

Obi stood with the people, (something akin to the talikawa political philosophy in the northern part of Nigeria), under the grassroot political movement championed by the APGA and fought with the arms of strategic marketing communications, mass appeal and the judiciary to oust then ruling party at the centre, the PDP from the Anambra State Government House.

Soludo’s first attempt at gaining executive political power through the ruling PDP proved abortive and he had to navigate his way into APGA to realise his ambition.

On his way to the Anambra State Government House, through the APGA Soludo had to eulogise the heroes of the party and Igbo icons, including the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu and Obi. Some of the eulogies he rendered now stare him in the face, diminishing his diatribes against Obi.

Politics of Friend of My Enemy
In the game of politics, fair is foul and foul is fair. What matters most to the average Nigerian politician is to attain his or her ambition. Nigeria’s political landscape is replete with family members (spouses, blood brothers/sisters, nephews and cousins, name it) being pitched against one another as pawns in the political chess game.

Political watchers are confident that the Obi, Soludo case will not be the last. It has been on, they say, citing the instance of cousins in Rivers State, Celestine Omehia and Rotimi Amaechi battling hard for the governorship of Rivers State in 2007. They also point out that no love lost political game played in Kwara State, involving the Olusola Saraki family with his son, Bukola Saraki who went toe-to-toe against his sister, Gbemisola Saraki.

At the moment the political melodrama involving the Nasir El-Rufai family, where his children are singing discordant tunes is a fresh case study in the Nigerian polity.

This is why political observers see nothing strange in the Obi versus Soludo political theatricals.

This matter is compounded by the fact that Nigerians care less about how their political leaders emerge. The Nigerian judiciary is also not known to indulge in meticulous scrutiny of how the executive power holders ascend the throne.

Those in the know maintain that Soludo is merely piping the tunes being dictated by the party at the centre, the All Progressives Congress (APC), partly because he wants to be in their good books, which will help him shield himself from thorough investigations, while he also wants to build a foundation for his future political ambitions.

Recall that Soludo sought the backing of the APC for his re-election as governor of Anambra State for which he in turn assured the powers that be, that he would support them in the presidential election of 2027.

As the beat for the dance of the voters in the 2027 presidential election hots up, the APC might have thought to undo a formidable opponent, Obi, in his homefront, sought for, found and recruited a good ally in Soludo.

A chieftain of the APC and Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, vented the stance of the ruling party and what informed the position, either unwittingly or strategically, in a post on his verified handle on X on Friday.

Keyamo wrote, “I see some suggestions that everyone is ‘obsessed’ about Peter Obi because we are always talking about him. I am sorry, but they miss the point. When someone lies per second, you also have to fact-check him per second. He got away with the lies in 2023, but this time Nigerians are ready to fact-check every claim of the ‘yes-daddy’ man.

“Therefore, to put it simply, the amount of time we talk about Peter Obi is directly proportional to the amount of lies he tells.”

What the People are Saying
The electorate to whom both Obi, Soludo and the APC are piping are not merely watching with keen interest, they are lending their voices into the political rhymes.

And the words from the streets indicate that the voters are, to paraphrase, legendary Chinua Achebe in Things Fall Apart, ‘the people did not just notice that Okonkwo was not seated among the elders; they also observed “that the second spirit walks with the same distinct, springy step as” Okonkwo’.

A political activist, Obodo Umunna, told Biztellers that while the political parties and politicians remain within their rights remain within their rights to canvass for votes, as they deem fit, they are also aware that the electorate can make free choices.

“This is why they are eager to grab it and run with it,” he said, adding that should they trust the narratives they are peddling, there would be less election malpractice in Nigeria.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as YAYI, has donated a 30-seater bus to the Remo Traditional Council.

Adeola disclosed the donation on Friday during a visit to the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba (Dr.) Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, and the entire Remo Traditional Council.

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The donation, according to the APC candidate, was made in further support of the traditional institution and to facilitate the official engagements and responsibilities of members of the council.

Adeola visited the traditional council alongside Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; his running mate, Alhaja Kudirat Adegunwa-Balogun; and other APC leaders.

He expressed appreciation to Governor Abiodun for presenting him and his running mate to the royal fathers as his successors, while commending the governor for laying what he described as a solid foundation for Ogun State’s continued growth.

The APC candidate said he was committed to consolidating the achievements of the Abiodun administration if elected, promising to govern the state with fairness, equity and integrity.

Adeola also pledged that no community would be neglected under his proposed administration.

He thanked the Akarigbo and other traditional rulers for their warm reception, encouraging remarks and special royal prayers for him and his running mate.

The visit comes as political activities ahead of the 2027 Ogun State governorship election continue.

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has said the 2027 presidential contest should be dominated by Southern candidates, arguing that the South should be allowed to complete an eight-year tenure before power returns to the North in 2031.

Sani made the declaration on Thursday in a post on X, as debate over zoning and the rotation of presidential power continues ahead of the 2027 general election.

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He listed President Bola Tinubu, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Social Democratic Party candidate Adewole Adebayo and former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke among the Southern politicians who should contest the 2027 presidential election.

“The 2027 political contest should be between Tinubu, Peter Obi, Sowore, Makinde, Adebayo, Duke and other Southern Candidates,” Sani said.

“The South should complete its eight years. Its not constitutional but it’s equitable.

“We should not bury our heads in the sand and deny the realities and complexities of our history.”

Sani further argued that the North should have what he described as an “unchallengeable right” to the presidency in 2031 if the South completes its eight years.

“The North should have an unchallengeable right in 2031,” he stated.

He also warned politicians opposed to respecting power rotation in 2027 that the principle could similarly be disregarded when the presidency is expected to return to the North.

“Those who say there shouldn’t be respect for the principle of Rotation of power in 2027, should know that it WILL NOT be respected in 2031,” Sani added.