Nigeria yet to address place of Igbo in polity – Prof Charles Soludo

Former governor of central bank and gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, has said the country is yet to properly address Igbo people’s place in the scheme of things.

He, therefore, pointed the need for a serious conversation on the ongoing agitation of the Igbo nation.

Speaking in a town hall meeting  Anambra State natives in Lagos, Soludo said the place of Igbo people in Nigeria must be given primacy and properly discussed.

He reasoned: “It must be a platform where the Igbo will take the leadership position and discuss things that affect them.”

The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor revealed that the solution to agitation is prosperity, pointing that there is the need to develop the South-east to become a liveable homeland by creating jobs and opportunities.

He further explained that if Igbo are committed to taking their rightful place in the scheme of things in Nigeria, there is a need to promote unity, peace and progress among every member of the Igbo nation.

Soludo hinted that he a vision to build a prosperous state, adding that when elected into office, the administration would ensure that Anambra State becomes the preferred destination for people to live and work.

The professor of economics said one of the greatest threats, facing Anambra State is environmental challenges, noting that it is one of the cardinal objectives in the APGA manifesto.

He said: “Environment challenge is one of the greatest existential threats of Anambra State. Flooding and erosion are huge problems.

“Those in the riverine areas suffer flooding challenges during the rainy season because it overflows. Yesterday, I visited Anambra West and part of what they were requesting was for us to go to Anambra East and build camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who have been displaced by the flood.

“Anambra has the second smallest landmass after Lagos. But Lagos is enlarging because they are reclaiming the ocean, while Anambra is shrinking due to erosion. We have more than 900 active erosion sites in Anambra, and they are expanding and ravaging the place.

“When it rains, a lot of the roads turn to emergency rivers. There are challenges of planning the state, communities, and markets.

“A lot of our markets are situated in the streets. Our villages and communities need formal planning. There are no walks even in the cities.”

The professor of economics further spoke on the need for a comprehensive master plan to address the challenges confronting the people.

“We don’t have a comprehensive master plan and there is no planning for the communities. Some communities have narrow roads. We need comprehensive planning of our markets and cities. When people complain about roads, I tell them that road construction is a continuum and not a one-off.

“The economic corridors of Anambra, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa and Imo States can become the new axis of prosperity. This is what I see in my dreams and that is the journey we must begin.

“This is why I am running and it is the value proposition that I am suggesting for Anambra State. APGA is a rebirth of the Igbo people.

“My political opponents have tried severally to stop my political ambition through various antics. But what God has written, He has written. There is a lot we to do to make Anambra become an alternative to Lagos,”  Soludo added.