Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Former political appointees under the Willie Obiano administration in Anambra State have declared their intentions to withdraw their support from Governor Chukwuma Soludo in favour of the opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The group made this known in a communique released after their recent meeting in Awka, the state capital on Tuesday.
The group, in the communique signed by the convener, Owelle Mbaso, said their decision followed refusal of the state governor to pay the severance allowance accruing to them as former appointees that worked in the immediate past administration.
Mbaso said the governor had also made several demeaning comments against former appointees, alleging that he (Soludo) presents ex-appointees as those that want to reap where they did not sow.
He said “former appointees having waited patiently for a positive follow up on the meeting of 17th December to no avail, have decided that since Governor Soludo does not have any regards for them and sees them as insignificant, they have decided unanimously to put their support where it would be valued and reciprocated.
“The former Appointees have unanimously decided to support APC and connect to the center, he said.
Mbaso recalled that prior to their recent meeting, former appointees had held an inaugural meeting on December 10, 2023, that attracted the presence of the Deputy Governor, Dr Onyeka Ibezim, who he said promised to work with the Governor to pay off the severance allowances as well as settle those without severance allowance with some meager amount as appreciation for their good work.
He said the subsequent meeting that was held with the Governor and his entourage in attendance did not yield any positive action, instead the Governor continued to ignore and relegate them.
Reacting on the development, the State Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Barr. Ifeatu Obiokoye, said that Governor Soludo is not indebted to the agitators.
Wondering who the former political appointees were, Obiokoye explained that former political appointees who served in the Willie Obiano regime are still serving in the highest Executive Council level of the present administration.
Obiokoye who was a former political appointee and served under ex-Governor Willie Obiano as the Special Adviser on Political Matters, said he has a long list of former appointees who served in the previous administration and still serving under Soludo’s government.
He mentioned the current Deputy Governor Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, saying that he was a Special Adviser during former Governor Willie Obiano’s administration.
