Anambra State Governor-Elect Soludo's Approach To Governance Anam bra State governor-elect, Chukwuma Charles Soludo's approach to governance. From what we have gleaned thus far, two months ahead of Soludo's inauguration mid-March this year, we can see the technocrat in him at play. His transition team is loaded with professionals, across board. He has even demonstrated a measure of pan-Nigerianism, enlisting experience and expertise from states beyond Anambra.
There are very strong indications that would-be members of the Anambra Executive Council under the incoming cabinet of the Governor-elect, Prof Charles Soludo, would officially apply to be part of government. That is instead of the old order of making recommendations by some tin gods in the area.
We gathered yesterday that applicants must write applications, attach their certificates and Curriculum Vitae to be given jobs in the cabinet. Also, it was learnt that they might go through oral and written interviews before a panel of judges to merit their positions. That also came as there are pressures to enlarge the number of the Transition Committee from the present 80 members to about 90 given the short time they are to complete their assignment. Soludo would be sworn in on March 17 this year and the terms of reference given to the committee is said to be so much that the number may not meet the deadline.
Disclosing this to our correspondent, Mr Samuel Ejimofor, the Coordinator of Anambra Leadership Forum(ALF), a group that worked for the victory of Soludo, noted that visitors to Soludo"s country home in Isuofia, Aguata Local Government Area of the state, have been advised to discontinue frequenting the area but prepare their CVs and wait after the swearing in ceremony when the panel would be set up. He said: "People should not be in a hurry and the old system of someone introducing their relations and imposing the people on the governor and forcing it down his throat has gone. "As for the Transition Committee, their time is short and those who are saying the number is too large do not know the enormity of work that is before them and there is pressure for the number to be increased to about 90 or so. "When they go into subcommittees, you will discover that some ministries and parastatals may not have committees to receive the handover notes and files and I must commend Soludo for assembling these people."
He said that Soludo has set the tone "for a possible regional harmony that will ignite the glory days of Eastern prosperity wherein the best of Igbo human capital are deployed to solve our collective problems. "What is exciting about this list is its likelihood of promoting and protecting the common good devoid of political cleavages. "It is for me and many other observers, a list of renascent leadership that will reposition South East politics for the good of all. "Demographically, the list is all encompassing. It has further provided ndị Anambra interesting insights into the fertile mind of a Soludo, who is beginning to show promise and prove his mettle as a globally reputed Economist and Development Expert par excellence. Soludo on Thursday stoked nationwide firestorm of discussions over the naming of a humongous 80-man inauguration planning committee. He appointed Dr (Mrs) Obiageli Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education as the Head of what he called "Governorship Transition Committee". What set out widespread discussions about the Transition Committee aside from being star-studded and large in number, is its composition, texture and bipartisan nature. The Committee members, which is an amalgam and admixture of professionals, corporate gurus and the academia also cut across people from almost all the South East states and beyond. In fact the many are asking if Soludo wants to carve a political image for himself as Igbo big brother, ready to play the role of a rallying point for a resurgent Igbo nationalism. Soludo, in the eyes of analysts may be planning to use Anambra State as a launch pad for Igbo leadership and perhaps national leadership.
Many pundits posit that with economic power, Ndigbo can easily buffet through the walls and web of intrigues and conspiracy against their desire for presidency of the country. Soludo, during his electioneering campaigns boasted that he will turn Anambra into the Japan of Africa. His manifesto/economic blue print was like documents from the World Economic Summit. His dream, of course, would be to surpass the former Governor of the state and 2019 vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi. Obi came into office under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), after the riotous regimes of PDP governors like Chief Chinwoke Mbadinuju and Dr. Chris Ngige. Obi raised the bar of governance in Anambra State in all sectors and measurable indices. Meanwhile, since the inception of the current political dispensation in the country, political leadership in Igbo land has been lacking direction just as the much touted economic integration and development remained a mirage. The long list of the Transition Committee members included people from Enugu, Delta, Imo, Abia, Anambra and beyond. For instance, Prof Greg Ibe and Chief Alex Otti are from Abia state. Mr. Ferdinand Agu and Prof. Osita Ogbu are from Enugu State. Prof. Chidi Odinkalu and few others are from Imo State just as Prof. Pat Utomi and others are from Delta State; among others who cannot easily be identified according to their states.
