How Governor Soludo refused to mix politics with governance

By Ebuka Onyekwelu, Ph.D

Recently, I accompanied the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, for his routine inspection of ongoing projects. The project for inspection last Friday was the Solution Innovation District (SID) located in the former Anambra State Government House. We arrived at about past three in the evening and stayed on active inspection till minutes before six o’clock, so the inspection took a minimum of two and a half hours. About two months ago, I also saw how the Governor spent nothing less than two hours in Nnewi before the ongoing regeneration of the town. There is absolutely no doubt that he is a diehard visionary. Soludo is a bold man who is neither moved by criticism nor by praise, but by compelling ideas.

For every project, Governor Soludo has clarity of vision. There is a clear picture of that project and how it fits into the general agenda of his government. He is not guessing. There is nothing that Governor Soludo has embarked on that was not captured in his manifesto. This is something that is fundamental, but sadly has been missing in national and sub-national governments. Government must be founded on clear ideation and philosophy, which form the basis for projects and programmes of the government. Good governance must be defined within a set of principles that are expressed in what the government in power does or fails to do. Not by pressure from the masses or by political expedience, or by afterthought arising from political pressure, but by an agenda founded on conviction. Recently, I was asked what I thought was Soludo’s biggest gain so far, and I said it was his focus on law and order. Yet, the fact is that Soludo’s government is the most stable government in Anambra’s history, and it is not by chance. It is the most stable government because it is founded on clear philosophical grounds. This is crucial because a leader must make a courageous distinction between politics and governance to move and achieve at an unusual speed through focus.

During the inspection, a few meters after our vehicle exited the expressway, the Governor directed the driver to stop. We exited the vehicle and instantly, the inspection began. From the open arena in front of the SID to the adjourning spaces on both sides, Governor Soludo demonstrated clarity about what he had in mind, which opened robust conversations with the Commissioner for Works, Arch Okey Ezeobi, SID MD, Chinwe Okoli, Special Adviser on Project Monitoring, Professor Ebuka Nwankwo, the project contractor, and many others. This scenario remains vivid in my mind. A leader must provide a clear vision that must guide his team. After a while, the picture of how the outside should look was cast and agreed upon. Then, the governor advanced his inspection to the premises of the SID. As he made his entry into the compound, some beneficiaries of the SID tech programmes gathered to welcome him, as is typical in our politics. But being an unconventional politician, the governor immediately shut them down. “Who are these people”? He queried. “No, no, no, I am here for work; I am working,” Soludo said. At that moment, they vanished. Then, he moved around the compound and made some key observations and adjustments that were critical to the project and its sustainability, as well as relevance to our young people.

A major part of that inspection expedition was the governor’s entry into the old Governor’s Office that was in use for thirty-four years. In comparison with the new Government House, one could see the boldness of Soludo’s vision. Narrating his ordeal, Governor Soludo said that he thought of many options, including governing from his home in Isuofia, but concluded that it was going to take a toll on efficiency in his government. So, he concluded that he would start but not end there. “I was determined that we are going to start here but not end here,” Soludo recalled. Today, the rest is history. Governor Soludo moved into the Light House on July 25th, 2025. Reflecting on the journey so far and looking at the former seat of power in Anambra State, Soludo declared, “Anambra ga-adi mma.” This is not political sloganeering, but a confession of faith in what Anambra can become, considering where we were for thirty-four years and how everything changed in three years. Proceeding towards the gate and looking across the vast compound of the former Government House, he shared his vision, reiterating his decision to convert the entire old Government House to a technology hub housed by the SID.

As we got back into the vehicle after an hours-long inspection, the Governor spoke to his vision for Anambra conceptualized on a tripod. “The future of Anambra will be commerce, industry and technology,” Soludo said with absolute conviction. At this point, one can see what informed the Governor’s decision to end the criminal sit-at-home. This is why the Governor took up the hard job of reopening Onitsha Main Market and putting an end to the Monday sit-at-home in Anambra State. This is also why the Governor is rebuilding the Onitsha Main Market to prepare it for the future. These moves are obviously politically unpopular. But, in the end, those are the exact moves governance demands that a true leader must make to reclaim the fortunes of the people and position the state for a prosperous future. In technology, Soludo envisions an Anambra that can become a command hub where people “stay in Anambra and hook up with the world.” The Governor sees a state capable of plugging into the “global knowledge bank to become home of innovation.” This is not far-fetched. Anambra’s comparative advantage in commerce, industry and technology is not in doubt at all.

For more than thirty minutes after we returned to the Governor’s Lodge, we were held back in the vehicle as the Governor communicated his vision with such a passion and dedication that is palpable. “We are thinking it through from the beginning,” he said, a comment that encapsulates the governance philosophy of Professor Soludo in Anambra State. His is a government established on clear ideation and conviction, not one built on the shallow ground of political convenience.

For Governor Soludo, politics is a means to an end: good governance, even at the expense of political necessity. It was a refreshing day in the Governor’s inspection routine, which ended at his dining table, completing the new Anambra cycle of work, relax, and enjoy.

Anambra ga-adi mma!