The political rivalry between former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo is taking a new dimension, with both camps increasingly trading claims over governance, political influence and the direction of the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The latest development followed a message from the Anambra State Government urging residents and supporters of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to reject Obi and his political platform.
The message, published through Governor Soludo’s New Media office, accused the former governor of working against APGA and called on the party’s supporters to resist his political influence.
Obi’s camp has since fired back, accusing the Soludo administration of allowing political considerations to overshadow the business of governing Anambra.
In a statement titled “Stop Chasing Shadows,” the spokesman for Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Idris Zekeri Jnr., argued that the state government should focus less on the former governor and more on issues affecting residents.
Zekeri raised concerns over roads, erosion, public safety, education and environmental challenges, insisting that the government should be judged primarily by its performance rather than its political attacks against Obi.
The statement also brought the debate over Anambra’s position in the 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index (pSPI) back into the political spotlight.
The revised 2026 assessment ranked Anambra 27th among Nigeria’s 36 states. The comparable series placed the state eighth in 2024, 34th in 2025 and 27th in 2026, although Phillips Consulting changed aspects of its methodology for the 2026 edition and incorporated newly available 2025 audited financial statements.
Obi’s camp has seized on the ranking to question the state’s performance under Soludo, arguing that the resources available to the government should result in more visible improvements in the lives of residents.
The Soludo administration, however, has previously challenged aspects of such assessments and maintained that rankings do not fully capture its investments and reforms across the state.
The government has repeatedly pointed to projects in road construction, education and healthcare as evidence of its performance. The state Ministry of Education has also highlighted the introduction of free education from nursery to senior secondary school, alongside infrastructure and digital-learning initiatives.
Beyond the performance index, Obi’s camp also sought to reopen discussion about the former governor’s legacy, particularly his administration’s urban-development policies.
Zekeri referenced Obi’s collaboration with UN-Habitat on master and structural plans for major cities in Anambra, arguing that successive administrations should have sustained and expanded those initiatives.
The statement further alleged that the Soludo administration had mobilised online supporters to attack Obi. However, the allegation was not independently substantiated.
It also criticised the government’s response to flooding and environmental concerns, raising questions about disaster preparedness and the implementation of weather-related warnings. These claims could not be independently verified from the material released by the Obi camp.
The renewed confrontation highlights a broader political struggle over who controls the narrative surrounding Anambra’s past, present and future.
While Soludo’s administration is seeking to project its record of infrastructure and social-sector reforms, Obi’s supporters continue to emphasise the former governor’s legacy and his enduring political appeal, particularly in the South-East.
POMR pointed to recent large gatherings involving Obi in places including Nnewi and Adazi-Ani as evidence of his continued grassroots influence.
The office consequently appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, elders and other stakeholders to intervene and encourage political actors to prioritise governance and public service.
As the 2027 elections draw closer, the dispute between the two political camps is increasingly becoming more than a disagreement between a former governor and his successor. It is developing into a contest over Anambra’s political future, with both sides seeking to define the state’s record, achievements and direction in the eyes of voters.
The growing exchanges suggest that the battle over Obi’s legacy and Soludo’s performance will remain central to Anambra’s political discourse as the 2027 election approaches.
