By Paul Magnus
The Anambra Concerned Citizens (ACC) has distanced itself from the presidential aspiration of former Governor, Peter Obi.
The group said, fresh revelations made by incumbent Governor, Charles Soludo, confirmed that the Labour Party candidate defrauded the state to assuage his ego and greed.
In a statement co-signed by its president, Mazi Chijioke Ude and secretary-general, Dr Andrew Young, the group further said Obi’s supposed investments aren’t just a scam but stolen funds used to shore up his family business.
“Professor Soludo properly exposed how Mr. Obi impoverished Anambra people while parading himself as the best thing that has ever happened to the state. The incumbent Anambra State Governor’s explanation has now made us know that the so-called investment Mr. Obi purported to have made is worth next to nothing, which implies that the Labour Party presidential candidate defrauded the state to assuage his ego and greed,” the statement said.
“Being a renowned economist, who has had the benefit of managing Nigeria’s monetary policy as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Soludo is in the best position to analyze the shady investment that Mr. Obi made. It is tragic that in addition to being scammed, the investments translated into the Labour Party presidential candidate using Anambra State funds to shore up his family business. The funds Mr. Obi claimed he saved were yielding interest into his personal and family accounts.
“We, therefore, agree with the Anambra State government that the money Mr. Obi poured into his family business should have gone into stimulating the economy for the benefit of citizens. We could imagine if the funds went into building infrastructure that supports businesses and provides employment like rail, roads and industrial parks that would have stimulated the economy.
“Anambra Concerned Citizens hail Professor Soludo for his boldness to speak out on the purported achievements of Mr. Peter Obi at a time when the latter has turned himself into a demagogue that bristles at criticism. Professor Soludo has proven that he is nationalistic to the point of exposing Mr. Obi at a time when political and ethnic correctness has forced people to ignore the lies of this failing presidential candidate.
“We warn Mr. Obi and his supporters that Anambra Concerned Citizens will not hesitate to expose him if he dares to utter any further words on the exposure of how he defrauded the state. We issue this warning knowing that he has been relying on his lynch mob that he calls his supporters for intimidating and silencing those that dare expose his fraudulent rule in Anambra state”.
The Anambra Concerned Citizens, therefore, denounced Obi, adding those who currently support him are on their own and risk the same fate as Anambra.
The group, however, demanded a refund of state funds “fraudulently cornered into his pocket under the guise of savings or investment failing which we shall initiate steps to compel him to”.
The statement added: “He must as a matter of honour, if he is capable of such, halt his presidential campaign until he can refund what he took from the state through the failed investment and saving. It is in Mr. Obi’s interest to comply with our demand before continuing with his failed presidential bid as we will not relent in exposing him as the con artist that he is.”