Cynthia Ezegwu
The Anambra State Government has denied reports linking the First Lady, Dr. Nonye Soludo, to an alleged ₦38 million contract awarded at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU).
A viral report had alleged that the university awarded a contract worth ₦38 million to Mrs. Chinwe Umerie, identified as the deputy state women leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who was also described as a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Dr. Soludo. The report further claimed that the contract was awarded to her company, Autograph & Events Planning, while also questioning the honorary doctorate degree conferred on the governor’s wife by the institution.
In a press statement issued on Monday, the Senior Media Aide to the Governor, Mr. Daniel Ezeigwe, dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.
He clarified that there is no office of the First Lady in Anambra State and that Mrs. Soludo has no aides, stressing that Mrs. Umerie is not her SSA and does not work for her.
“For avoidance of doubt, let it be on record that there is no office of the First Lady, and there is no SSA to Mrs. Nonye Soludo. Mrs. Chinwe Umerie is not SSA to Mrs. Soludo and does not work for her,” the statement read.
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Ezeigwe also stated that Mrs. Soludo is not involved in any government contract processes and could not have influenced contract awards at COOU.
He further explained that honorary doctorate degrees are approved by the Senate and governing council of the university, not unilaterally awarded by the vice chancellor.
Describing the allegations as “a senseless attempt to malign the name and character of a woman whose life reflects decency, straightforwardness, and peerlessness,” the government urged the public to disregard the claims, which it attributed to political mischief.