My Wife And I Are Godparents To Soludo’s Children, We Are Not Fighting – Obi

Former Anambra State Governor and National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has dismissed reports of a rift between him and his successor, Governor Chukwuma Soludo.

Obi said he and his wife are godparents to Soludo’s children, stressing that despite political differences, there was no quarrel between them.

The former governor spoke on Friday at the Nigerian Guild of Editors’ 22nd Conference in Enugu.

“People might not know, my wife and I are godparents to Soludo’s children. Yes, we are that close. So we are not quarrelling, and we will never quarrel. If I see him any day, me and him will hug and everything. If they say anything, I’ll answer them,” Obi said.

Obi also defended his record on Anambra State’s finances, insisting that he did not leave any debt for the state when he left office.

“Like I said yesterday, I did not leave debt in Anambra State. If you like, go and see that interview. The day I left office, thank God, Otti confirmed it this morning, while on Arise, I left $150 million in savings,” he said.

The NDC presidential candidate said no previous governor had left such a dollar reserve for the state, challenging anyone with contrary evidence to provide it.

“No other governor has left dollars. If they see one, tell me. And that is the… I’m not quarrelling with them.

“I’m not using it as a boast. The day I came in, I explained it to them. What I met was $18 million. When I left, it was $30 million. I left $150 million,” he added.

Obi further argued that even if the debt attributed to his administration was accepted, the state would still have been in a stronger financial position because of the savings he said he left behind.

“So even if you say all the money they said Anambra is owing, $120 million, and it was created by me, which is wrong public accounting. I said it yesterday.

“The money I left was, giving Anambra State 10 million every year. So if you had been paying 10, 10 million, you would have finished paying it now, and the capital would still be remaining.

“If they decide to keep it, without touching it, as at today, that money would have been 360-something million, out of which if they take 130 million and pay, they have 230 million to play with.

“So it’s the case of a father, who allowed his children to inherit hundred million naira, but they said he’s owing 10 million, and they said he’s owing debt. When they should have just paid it and take their change, and celebrated the man for making them rich,” Obi said.

He maintained that his comments were not intended to attack Soludo or any other official.

“I didn’t do it calling any of them name. I have no reason to do that,” he said.