The statement of the governor of Anambra State that the investment made by Peter Obi, former governor of the state ‘worth next to nothing’ has been greeted with backlash by economists, netizens and financial experts.
Newsonline reports that politicians also have backed the statement of Soludo against the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, who is seen as the best choice among all other major contenders for the 2023 election.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, while speaking on Channels Television politics programmes said the investment purportedly made by peter Obi in multinational companies was worth next to nothing.
Soludo added that saving money in investment when development has not been brought to the people of Anambra was not the right economic planning.
“I don’t know about the investment. Our interview is about the 2023 budget. I’m not talking about the investments of any of my predecessors. By the way, the one that you talked about I don’t know about that.
“I think there was something I read about somebody speculating about whatever investment. With what I’ve seen today, the value of those investments is worth next to nothing. So, let’s leave that aside,” Soludo said.
Tinubu/Shettima Campaign spokesman, Keyamo reacts
The spokesman for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Tinubu/Shettima campaign organization, Festus Keyamo in reaction said Soludo has made clear what needs to be known about Peter Obi’s poor economic policies.
Keyamo said, “One interview smashed decades of lies. Reminds me of the adage that a lie can travel round the world, but the truth will catch up with it by taking one step. The joker they thought they had turned out to be a joke. Like Mohammed Ali would ask his opponent, ‘is that all you got?”
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AAC presidential candidate, Sowore reacts
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) Omoyele Sowore, added his voice to the criticism of the Labour Party presidential candidate.
Sowore added that the revelation of Soludo showed that Peter Obi is the best-packaged fraud.
“Charles Chukwuma Soludo unveiling and unraveling Peter Obi over his fake investment portfolios. He stated that the “purported investments are next to nothing” Peter Obi is the “best packaged” fraud!”
Kalu Aja, an economist and Financial expert flaws Soludo
Kalu Ajah, an economist and Financial expert said the statement of Soludo was wrong.
“A quoted company can’t be worthless. A multinational investment cant be worthless. A company that remits millions in PAYE can’t be worthless.
He further added, “If it’s worthless, sell it for N1.”
Netizen reacts, blames Obiano, not Peter Obi
A netizen, Jamal, verified on Twitter called on Soludo to desist from blaming Peter Obi if there is a depletion in the value of investment he made while he was governor of the state.
He said the blame should be on the immediate past governor of the state, Willie Obiano, who mismanaged the finances of the state, after Peter Obi, handed over a buoyant economy to him in 2014 when he left office, without any corruption charges, unlike Obiano, who was arrested by the Economic and Financian Crimes Commission (EFCC) for mismanaging and looting of the state treasury.
Jamal wrote on his Twitter handle, “If the investment is now worth next to nothing, wouldn’t that be the fault of Obiano who was Governor for 8 years? Obi handed over the investments to Obiano in 2014.
