Governor Chukwuma Soludo has declared that Anambra State has finally broken free from years of fear and insecurity, saying the once-ghostly Mondays marked by sit-at-home orders are now a thing of the past.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on October 19, Soludo reflected on how far the state had come since his assumption of office.
He said what used to be “a reign of terror” had given way to peace and stability across all 21 local government areas.
“Before we came into office, you had a state where nobody could wear anything that suggested you were a politician. Dr. (Chike) Akunyili was killed simply because he had a policeman in his car,” the governor said.
According to him, eight local government areas, including Ihiala, once considered the most dangerous, were “no-go zones” until his administration reclaimed them. “Now, everybody can sleep with their two eyes closed,” Soludo added.
The governor credited the progress to his administration’s security-driven agenda and the resilience of residents who refused to surrender to fear.
He said even the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had successfully completed voter registration in all 326 wards, something impossible a few years ago.
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Soludo also dismissed claims that the Monday sit-at-home order still holds sway.
“Monday sit-at-home thing is largely over here in Anambra. Anybody sitting at home now is doing so out of preference, not insecurity,” he said.
Turning to the detention of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, the governor expressed optimism about his eventual release.
“When Nnamdi Kanu comes out, because we believe he will come out, we are going to sit down and interrogate our alternative vision for Igboland,” he stated.
Soludo added that his vision was to build “a livable and prosperous homeland” for the Igbo people within a united Nigeria. “We need Nigeria, and Nigeria needs us,” he said.
As the November 8 governorship election approaches, Soludo, who is seeking a second term under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), described the party as more than a political organisation.
“APGA is like a religion in Anambra,” he said, dismissing speculations that he planned to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He clarified that his relationship with President Bola Tinubu was based on governance, not politics. “We collaborate to keep Nigeria going,” Soludo explained.