When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu touched down in Anambra State on May 8, 2025, for what Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo described as a “historic and consequential” state visit, the optics were pristine.
Security operatives moved with swift coordination, the state capital Awka buzzed with anticipation, and the presidential itinerary was packed with commissioning ceremonies of new infrastructure. On the surface, the trip marked a triumphant moment for the Southeast state — a bold statement of safety, progress, and political alignment with the federal center.
But beyond the ribbons, speeches, and curated optics, the visit also reignited simmering debates on governance priorities, political loyalties, and the deeper needs of the people. While Tinubu received accolades from Soludo and the Anambra Police Command for a peaceful and successful visit, opposition voices like Valentine Ozigbo used the occasion to cast a harsh spotlight on what they see as performative governance that lacks real transformative depth.
Following the presidential tour, the Nigeria Police in Anambra State were quick to commend the event’s success as a security milestone. Commissioner of Police Ikioye Orutugu, through spokesperson SP Tochukwu Ikenga, described the hitch-free visit as confirmation that “Anambra State is safe for residents and visitors.”
“The hosting of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Awka further confirms that Anambra State is safe,” Orutugu stated, noting the proactive coordination between various security agencies and the public. For a state once plagued by intermittent pockets of violence and tension, especially in its rural flanks, this endorsement from security authorities was not insignificant.
But security is only one pillar of statecraft, and others were less convinced the visit signaled more than political choreography.
Soludo’s Grand Welcome
In a vibrant, wide-ranging address during the state reception, Governor Soludo played the dual roles of host and ideological ally. His remarks brimmed with pride in Anambra’s historical and cultural significance, as well as fervent support for Tinubu’s presidency.
“Your visit today is not just to commission projects,” Soludo declared. “We are strategic in our choice of projects deserving your attention… the 8-lane boulevard, the tower of light and monument of heroes—as symbolisms of the audacity of our dreams for a new Anambra.”
Soludo's rhetoric intertwined urban development with ideological kinship, describing himself and Tinubu as long-time “centre progressives” committed to federalist principles. He painted a glowing picture of an Anambra on the rise, guided by a 50-year development master plan aiming to turn the state into Africa’s Dubai-Taiwan-Silicon Valley.
He thanked Tinubu for federal appointments, infrastructure projects like the Enugu-Onitsha road and Second Niger Bridge access, and ongoing collaboration in health, education, and agriculture. But he also used the platform to press the President on long-overdue federal interventions — from gully erosion control to dredging the Onitsha River Port, to plugging the Southeast into national rail and gas infrastructure.
In a moment of ideological unity, Soludo called for a coalition of progressives across party lines, asserting that “all progressives, federalists and all parties with social-democratic, centrist, and left-of-centre credentials” should align behind Tinubu to build a better Nigeria.
But this tone of celebration and solidarity did not go unchallenged.
For Valentine Ozigbo, a leading opposition voice and likely gubernatorial contender, the entire spectacle was less a show of state progress than an elaborate exercise in image laundering.
“Unfortunately, what should have been an opportunity to showcase bold, transformative governance has instead become a glaring theatre of missed priorities, misplaced ambitions, and media optics masquerading as progress,” Ozigbo declared in a blistering statement.
While acknowledging the symbolic significance of a presidential visit, Ozigbo challenged the substantive merit of the projects being commissioned — a government house, an amusement park (Solution Fun City), and an institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
He argued these projects failed to address pressing socio-economic needs: spiraling cost of living, unaffordable housing, patchy social services, and growing public disenchantment. “What critical social problem does this park solve?” he asked pointedly.
Ozigbo also criticized what he described as political cowardice in the governor’s reported decision to bar party-branded clothing at the event, suggesting Soludo feared the APGA brand might not stand up to national scrutiny. “If your policies are strong and your house is in order, why hide your colours?” he queried.
A Divided Optic: Transformation or Theatrics?
Tinubu’s visit, for all its immediate spectacle and security success, laid bare the contrasting narratives that define Anambra politics today. On one hand, Soludo’s camp presents a tale of ideological alignment, infrastructural ambition, and federal-state synergy. On the other, opposition figures like Ozigbo highlight the disconnect between elite narratives and everyday hardships — questioning the impact of monumental structures in a state where basic services remain inadequate.
That both stories are playing out simultaneously underscores the complexity of Nigerian politics, where symbolism and substance often collide, and where each ribbon cut can spark both praise and protest.
As 2025 Beckons, Anambra Reflects
As the state edges toward another pivotal election cycle, the Tinubu visit may serve as a litmus test — not just of political alliances, but of what kind of governance Anambra’s people truly desire.
Is it enough to dream in eight-lane boulevards and smart cities? Or will the next mandate be shaped by a demand for deeper structural reform — housing, jobs, and public trust?
For now, one thing is clear: Anambra remains a political crucible, where every gesture counts, every word echoes, and every visit — especially from a sitting President — carries implications far beyond the moment.
Leave a Reply