By Tony Okafor
Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s silence on the July 19 birthdays of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and Senator Victor Umeh has not gone unnoticed
While birthday messages may appear inconsequential in the rough and tumble of politics, they often convey values far greater than the words they contain.
They are expressions of gratitude, respect and recognition for service rendered. In the case of Peter Obi and Victor Umeh, Governor Soludo’s silence represented a missed opportunity to demonstrate statesmanship.
Peter Obi and Victor Umeh are not ordinary political figures in the history of Anambra State or the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). They are among the principal architects who laid the foundation upon which the party built its identity and popularity in the state.
Peter Obi made history as the first Governor of Anambra State elected on the platform of APGA. His emergence marked a turning point in the state’s political evolution. Through prudent financial management, investments in education and healthcare, and a disciplined approach to governance, his administration strengthened public confidence in APGA and earned the party widespread goodwill among Ndi Anambra. That goodwill became one of the party’s greatest political assets in subsequent elections.
Senator Victor Umeh, for his part, served for about a decade as National Chairman of APGA. Those were not easy years. The party battled internal crises, legal disputes and relentless political pressure. Yet Umeh remained steadfast, defending the party’s mandate and ensuring its survival when many believed it would collapse. His contributions helped preserve the platform that eventually produced Governor Soludo.
Political circumstances have since changed. Peter Obi and Victor Umeh have chosen different political paths, while Governor Soludo remains the national leader of APGA . Such realignments are a normal feature of every democracy. They should not, however, erase history or diminish respect for those whose sacrifices helped shape today’s political realities.
As Governor, Professor Soludo occupies an office that transcends party politics. He is the leader of all Anambra people and should be seen to rise above partisan considerations in matters that touch the state’s collective political heritage.
Recognising former leaders and political pioneers, in keeping with the spirit of the creed that “the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain,” does not amount to endorsing their present political affiliations. Rather, it reflects maturity, confidence and an appreciation of history.
Across established democracies, incumbent leaders routinely congratulate former leaders and even political opponents on significant occasions. Such gestures reinforce the values of civility, unity and institutional continuity. They remind citizens that politics should remain competitive without becoming bitter or personal.
No one expected Governor Soludo to campaign for Peter Obi or Victor Umeh. No one expected him to embrace their current political choices. What many expected was a simple public message acknowledging two distinguished sons of Anambra whose contributions to the state’s political development are undeniable.
Such a gesture would have reflected the finest traditions of leadership and demonstrated that political differences need not extinguish mutual respect.
Ironically, Governor Soludo is himself one of the greatest beneficiaries of the political structure built by these men. The APGA platform on which he was elected did not emerge by accident. It was nurtured through years of sacrifice, perseverance and commitment by leaders such as Peter Obi and Victor Umeh.
Acknowledging that history would neither diminish the Governor nor strengthen his political rivals. It would simply honour the truth.
