By Emmanuel Iheaka
The Igbo Heroes and Icons Foundation has called for a truce between the Anambra State Government and the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr Peter Obi, amid disagreements over the state’s loans and financial obligations.
In a statement endorsed by its National Coordinator, Hon. Chinedu Nsofor, the group appealed to both sides to embrace peace and collaboration in the interest of the Igbo people’s aspiration for the presidency.
There has been a disagreement between Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration and Obi over loans and debts which the Anambra State Government said were incurred by the administration of the former governor.
The foundation said there could be constructive disagreement without denigrating Obi’s political standing or Soludo’s position as governor of Anambra State.
It maintained that the dispute over the loans and other financial obligations should be resolved through an unbiased examination of documentary evidence rather than verbal attacks and counter-attacks.
“The foundation’s position is that whatever political differences may exist between the two prominent sons of Anambra, those differences should not become a permanent source of division among Ndigbo.
“The foundation is particularly concerned about the continuing controversy surrounding claims about loans and other financial obligations allegedly inherited by successive administrations from the administration of former Governor Peter Obi. This is an issue that should be settled by documentary evidence rather than political exchanges,” it said.
The group said every government had a legitimate responsibility to account for public resources inherited from previous administrations.
“Governor Soludo, as the incumbent Governor of Anambra State, has the right to examine previous financial records and explain the state’s fiscal position to the people. Similarly, former Governor Peter Obi has the right to respond to allegations concerning the record of his administration.
“Neither accountability nor criticism should be interpreted as hostility. But accountability is most credible when it is supported by verifiable records,” the foundation said.
It urged the parties to avoid allowing the dispute to undermine what it described as the Igbo aspiration to produce the next president of Nigeria in line with equity and justice.
The foundation also called on Igbo political leaders, professionals, traditional institutions, religious leaders, youths, business leaders and civil society organisations to approach the question of an Igbo presidency with maturity.
“The goal should not be to silence disagreement. The goal should be to make disagreement constructive. The goal should not be to force every Igbo person into one political party.
“Ndigbo can belong to different political parties and still discuss shared interests. They can support different candidates and still cooperate on development. They can disagree about Peter Obi and still respect him. They can disagree with Soludo and still respect the office of the Governor of Anambra State,” the group said.
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