The political rivalry between Anambra State Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has reignited following a fresh round of verbal exchanges between the two influential politicians.
The renewed confrontation began after Obi compared his political journey to that of Soludo, saying he had moved on to the “Champions League” while the governor was “still playing in the junior league.”
Responding swiftly, Governor Soludo dismissed Obi’s comments as the outburst of a “frustrated politician wandering without a club,” accusing him of mismanaging Anambra’s education system during his tenure as governor.
Obi: I’ve Moved On to the Champions League
Speaking in a viral video after the declaration of the Anambra governorship results by INEC, Obi advised Soludo to focus on governance instead of engaging in political distractions.
“He should concentrate on working for the people to make the state more livable.
I didn’t contest in the election — I was governor 13 years ago.
If it’s football, he’s playing in the junior league, while I’ve moved on to the Champions League,” Obi said.
Supporters of the former governor applauded the statement, which quickly trended on social media.
Soludo Fires Back: Obi Is Clubless and Frustrated
In his response at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Awka, shortly after receiving his Certificate of Return from INEC, Soludo accused Obi of political idleness and desperation.
“We wanted to coach him on how to play in the Champions League after I had played there.
But he keeps jumping from one club to another — now he’s clubless,” Soludo said.
“Idleness and serial losses can get into someone’s head sometimes.”
The governor also mocked Obi’s alleged attempts to emulate the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, founder of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), saying his efforts to influence the recent Anambra elections failed.
“He went around raising people’s hands like Ojukwu did, yet nothing happened.
APGA beat him in all four wards in his community. Even where we allowed him to win, APC still defeated him,” Soludo added.
Background to the Feud
The rivalry between Soludo and Obi dates back to their days in Anambra politics. Obi, a former APGA governor who defected to the Labour Party, has maintained a strong grassroots following in the state. Soludo, however, has repeatedly accused Obi of hypocrisy and opportunism, while Obi’s supporters claim Soludo is threatened by Obi’s national influence.
Observers say the latest verbal exchange signals an early build-up to another round of political positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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