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Peter Obi Won’t Win 2023 Presidential Election- Soludo

Published

2 years ago

November 14, 2022

Editor

Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo has stated that it will be impossible for Labour Party presidential candidate former Govermor Peter Obi to win the 2023 elections.

In a piece he wrote in response to criticism following his Arise TV on Obi’s investment and legacy in Anambra, Soludo said Obi should enjoy the frenzy, nothing there are only two serious candidates in the race.

Read his piece in full..

14th November, 2022

History Beckons and I will not be Silent (Part 1)

Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR

My attention has been drawn to some of the tirades on social media following my frank response during an interview on Channels TV regarding the “investments” Mr. Peter Obi claimed to have made with Anambra state revenues. Sadly, several of the comments left the issue of the interview to probe or suggest motives, inferred from my response on “investment” that I am opposed to Peter Obi’s ambition and therefore committed a “crime” for which the punishment is internecine abuse and harassment even to my family. Some people even suggest that the gunmen who went to attack a checkpoint at my hometown on Saturday 12th November but were gunned down was part of the mob reaction. I used to think that for decent people, certain conducts are off-limits, and that in Anambra, politics is not warfare.

Of course, as a Christian, I know that telling the truth can be very costly, even suicidal. Our Lord and saviour was crucified simply for telling the truth the people did not want to hear. I promised that I won’t be the usual politician, and will not knowingly lie to the people. I am not an Angel but rather than knowingly repeat the same deceitful character that politicians are known for, I would leave public office. It is a vow I made to my God and to my family. Only God knows how many days I will be on this seat but whether I am on it or not I will always say it as it is— knowing fully the suicidal consequences of telling the truth in a political arena, especially in a country where lying and deceit by politicians have become culture and celebrated as being “smart”.

Ideally, I should just have laughed off the infantile exuberances as many friends advised (I am used to this, having been in the ‘Arena’ for a while). I always re-read the quote “The Man in the Arena…” by President Theodore Roosevelt (1910) to remind myself of the burden of public office. Several well meaning Nigerians and Ndigbo called to advise that I should just ignore them. A respected Igbo elder-statesman who called, advised that I should just ignore what he described as “Peter Obi and his social media mob”. According to him, “everyone knows that he is going nowhere, but they are looking for who to blame”. After some 20 minutes of discussion, he advised that I should personally author a response— just for the records.

Everyone knows that I don’t follow the winds nor one to succumb to bullies, nor shy away from a good fight especially when weighty matters of principles and future of the people are involved. One lesson I learnt from my former boss and mentor, President Obasanjo, is never to be on the fence. I learnt that one must always take a stand: for better or for worse. I do so with every sense of humility, and leave history to judge. Most people have commended me for “tactfully avoiding being drawn into the Peter Obi issue” until now. Since I am now being forced into the Arena on this matter, I have a duty and a right of reply, if only for the records, and to also give the social media mob something substantive to rant upon and rain their abuses for weeks. In this preliminary response, there are some things I will refrain from saying here because, in the end, February/March 2023 will come and go, and life will continue.

At the outset, let me state that this exhibition of desperation, intolerance and attempt to bully everyone who expresses the slightest of dissent is reprehensible. This is Hitler in the making. When the revered Arch Bishop Chukwuma stated that in Enugu State, they were not obedient, he was ferociously bullied on social media. Any dissent is tagged a saboteur or, in my case, it could be that I want to contest for president after office or that I am envious of Peter Obi. Soludo envious of Peter Obi? Totally laughable! But this is the same person I was asking to return to APGA in March 2022 and contest for president and yet envious or doesn’t want him to be president. This is madness! Seriously speaking, the obdurate attempt to muscle the republican Igbos to maintain the silence of the graveyard is antithetical to everything Igbo. It is not who we are. Insulting other ethnic groups and religions or denigrating others is certainly not the path to Aso Rock. If this is not checked, it may indeed endanger the future political and economic interests of the Igbos.

In his time, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the undisputed all time leader of the Igbos but he had his arch rivals and even independent candidates won landslide elections against his party, NCNC, in Igboland. Obafemi Awolowo had stiff opposition among the Yorubas while Ahmadu Bello had his share of opponents in the Northern region. Today, no one has accused Afenifere or other strong presidential candidates from the South West of being “anti Yoruba” because Tinubu is a frontrunner, nor has anyone accused Kwankwaso and several other Northern candidates of being “anti-North” for not supporting Atiku. As a full blooded republican Igboman and democrat, I reject this despotic intolerance.

Yes, I fully understand the anger of some urban and Diaspora youths and some Nigerians who are dissatisfied with the trajectory of the country or with the candidates of the major parties and wished other options. Not knowing much about others, some see Peter Obi as the contrast they wished for. I get the point. But this is a democracy: the minority will have their say, but the majority their way. Translating anger and social media agitation into political outcomes requires humongous work.

For full disclosure, let me state that Peter Obi and I are not just friends, we call ourselves “brothers”. But we have political differences: he left APGA for PDP after his tenure as Governor while I have remained in APGA since 2013. During the last two governorship elections in Anambra in 2017 and 2021, he led the PDP campaigns but APGA won landslide in both elections. By the way, in 2016, he visited and proposed that I defect to PDP and contest the 2017 election against the incumbent Willie Obiano, but I declined. After my victory in November 2021, he called to congratulate me as I did to him in 2010. That is the Anambra way: we fight fiercely during campaigns but share drinks at the next social events. After all, it was the great Zik of Africa who taught us that in politics, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies but only permanent interests.

We sat next to each other during the Emeka Anyaoku lecture at Nnamdi Azikiwe University on 8th March, 2022 and I made an offer for him to return to APGA and contest as its presidential candidate. Yes, I did. In my mind, it was time for Igbos to organize their region politically before stepping out to bargain power with other organized coalitions. On his part, he tried to convince me that he expected APC to unravel while PDP would be the “only one” standing. We debated and he proposed that we could meet later to discuss further. He attended my inauguration on March 17. A few weeks later, he requested and I obliged him to use the Anambra State government house facility to launch his presidential bid under PDP. I was surprised to read in the news later that he had defected to LP (a party with literally zero structure), thereby attempting to weaken the same PDP he saw as the saviour a few weeks earlier. He paid me a courtesy call as the presidential candidate of LP, and we had frank discussions.

During our meeting, I reminded him of my proposal to him to come and contest under APGA. More importantly, I told him (possibly to his surprise) that I did not make the proposal in the belief that he will win in 2023 but that it would give us the opportunity to get our people organized as a bargaining force, with him leading the effort since I was busy as Governor (my immediate predecessor, Willie Obiano had indicated to me that he was not disposed to contest an election). We noted that we were in opposing political parties and in response to my direct question as to how I might help him, he requested that I should just ensure a “level playing field” and let the people decide. In fidelity, my government has provided the atmosphere for him and his supporters to operate freely in Anambra without any molestation (compare with treatments to LP even in other South East states), and allowed his billboards which are, in many places, wrongly placed almost on the roads. As a person, I have several shortcomings but being petty is not one of them. We have shown him tremendous goodwill—which he did not extend to the same Labour Party when he was Governor (Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, as LP governorship candidate in 2013 was denied the use of Ekwueme Square for his rallies).

Someone reminded me that a mob has no head and hence cannot reason. The same Peter Obi was one of those who told Ndigbo that APGA was the vehicle through which Igbos would organize to engage the rest of Nigeria politically. He was said to have sworn to Ojukwu and publicly that he would quit politics the day he leaves APGA. The rest is history. When he was the Vice-Presidential candidate under PDP in 2019, the emotive train then dubbed the ticket “the Igbo project”. As then chairman of planning and strategy committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, I cautioned for a more pragmatic approach but the emotive blaze of the time held sway. We were vindicated afterwards.

By the way, APGA is Nigeria’s third largest political party today (after APC and PDP, it is the only other party with a state governor and third largest presence at the National Assembly). And some people have the temerity to suggest that APGA’s candidate should “step down” for Peter Obi as the “Igbo candidate”. I wonder when Igbos met to choose a candidate. They even argue that afterall APGA supported President Jonathan and did not field a candidate then. Well, the fact as I was told was that no candidate showed interest under APGA then. Besides, APGA’s unwritten rule then was to support the party at the centre — which, if we apply this time, should actually be APC. But we have our own candidate. Recall that all the political parties had their primaries during the same period. Once Peter Obi realized that he won’t get the presidential or vice-presidential ticket of PDP he ran to Labour Party (a political party known as a transit camp for aspirants who lost primaries in APC, PDP and APGA), and the chorus by a vociferous minority now is that LP has become the “Igbo project”, and the APGA candidate who emerged the same time as Peter Obi should “step down”. Ridiculous! Now I truly understand that a mob cannot reason.

When will Ndigbo understand and learn politics, especially of Nigeria? When Bola Ahmed Tinubu defied the political wind of the time and stood out as the “only man standing” in AD and later AC (before ACN) against a sitting president of Yoruba descent, no one accused him of being “anti-Yoruba”. Indeed, everyone recalls that both Tinubu and President Obasanjo disagreed politically, and probably still disagree—but none is being accused of being “anti- Yoruba”. Under Tinubu, the South West strategically organized under a different political party, the ACN and went into a formidable alliance that kicked out a sitting president (in Africa?), and that alliance is not broken yet. Igbos, in their frenzied Nzogbu nzogbu politics, have sadly found themselves in a political cul de sac. Tragic indeed! When will my people smell the morning coffee?

Let me now address the substance of my response during the interview, and I stand by what I said. On record, I doubt that any governor in Nigeria has paid as much tribute to his predecessors as I have done during campaigns and in office. I always said that ALL of them did well and to the best of their abilities. Yes, Peter Obi was governor for 8 years (2006 -2014) during a period of unprecedented oil boom and prosperity in Nigeria (Nigerian economy was growing at average of 6-8% per annum, and oil price was highest during this time). I have seen all kinds of funny comments and interpretations regarding what I said about the value of his “investments”. Some refer to SabMiller and bandy all kinds of figures as to how the investment of $12 million is now worth less than $3 million. Of course, there is room for legitimate debate about the logic or quality of the investments. For example, people might differ as to the propriety of using taxpayers money to promote a company in which one is a shareholder in the name of “investment”, or even whether so called “savings” are warranted when there were dozens of schools without roofs or classrooms, or local governments without access roads or hospitals without doctors/nurses. A Bishop recently publicly advised that I should please try to construct the “Ngige type of quality roads”, stating that the ones done by his successor (that is, Peter Obi) had washed off, while Ngige’s remained. I promised and we are delivering quality roads that Anambra has not seen before.

For sure, prudence in public resource management is desirable and we are opening new frontiers in that area. People will however differ as to whether saving money in the bank account is a KPI (key performance indicator) for a government where poverty is escalating except where its institutions for absorption are weak or where the government has no robust/big agenda for transformation. Governments exist to save lives, not to save money. We can debate and differ on this— (by the way, I know when/how it is appropriate to “save” as I built Nigeria’s foreign reserves from $10 billion I inherited to all time $63 billion, and even after paying $12 billion to pay-off Nigeria’s external debt and going through unprecedented global financial crisis, I still left behind about $45 billion— Go and verify!).

Funny, in the rabid frenzy to grab every straw, they cut a clip during our governorship debate where I was stating vital statistics and they claimed that I was “praising” Peter Obi then while committing a crime now by “criticising” him. Hahahaha! Well, it is true that I said during the debate that, according to National Bureau of Statistics, poverty in Anambra actually grew (from less than 25% in 2005) to about 53% under Peter Obi in 2010/2011 but fell under Willie Obiano to 14.78% in 2020. Yes, poverty more than doubled under Peter Obi and more than 50% of Ndi Anambra were in poverty under him. Go and verify! I am Governor, and sitting on privileged information which I will not want to use against a political opponent. But on matters of facts, I will always state same as is. As the saying goes, you can fool some of the people some of the time but never all the people all the time. Enough said for now!

Where do we go from here? I listened to my friend Gov El-Rufai on TV explaining why the northern governors decided that power should shift to the South. According to him, they asked themselves what would their founding fathers—Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa or Aminu Kano have done in the circumstance. Today, I ask my people, Ndigbo: do we ask what Azikiwe or M.I. Okpara or Akanu Ibiam would do in the present circumstance? I worry that Ndigbo as Nigeria’s foremost itinerant tribe and with the greatest stake in the Nigerian project does not yet have a strategy to engage Nigeria—politically! Every four years, we resurface with emotive Nzogbu Nzogbu political dance (“it is our turn dance” but without organization or strategy) and fizzle out afterwards while others work 24/7 strategizing and organizing.

Let’s be clear: Peter Obi knows that he can’t and won’t win. He knows the game he is playing, and we know too; and he knows that we know. The game he is playing is the main reason he didn’t return to APGA. The brutal truth (and some will say, God forbid) is that there are two persons/parties seriously contesting for president: the rest is exciting drama! That many Americans may not like the fact that Joe Biden (79 years) and Donald Trump (76 years) are two frontrunners for president in their parties does not remove the fact that if both of them emerge as candidates, definitely one of them will be president in 2024.

As my brother, I wish him well and even pray for him. I told him during his courtesy call that my prayer is that himself or Prof Umeadi of APGA would win, why not? That is from my heart, but I also told him that my head and facts on the ground led me to know that it’s probability is next to zero (what I cannot say before you, I won’t say behind you). So I already told him my opinion. Indeed, there is no credible pathway for him near the first two positions, and if care is not taken, he won’t even near the third position. Analysts tell him you don’t need “structure” to win. Fantasy! Of course, LP won governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun on social media and via phantom polls, while getting barely 2,000 votes on ground. Creating a credible third force for presidential election in Nigeria requires a totally different strategy and extreme hard work.

Of course, Peter Obi will get some votes, and may probably win in Anambra state— as “home boy”. But Anambra is not Nigeria. If he likes, I can even campaign for him but that won’t change much. From internal state by state polling available to me, he was on course to get 25% in 5 states as at August this year. The latest polling shows that it is down to four states, and declining. Not even in Lagos state (supposed headquarters of urban youths) where Labour Party could not find candidates to contest for House of Reps or Senate. The polls also show that he is taking votes away mostly from PDP. Indeed, if I were Asiwaju Tinubu, I would even give Peter Obi money as someone heading one of the departments of his campaign because Obi is making Tinubu’s pathway to victory much easier by indirectly pulling down PDP. It is what it is!

The current fleeting frenzy, if not checked, will cost Ndigbo dearly for years. The South East has the lowest number of votes of any region, but it is also the only region where the presidential race might be a 4-way race (it is a two-way race in the other 5 regions) thereby ensuring that our votes won’t count in the making of the next president of Nigeria. Afterwards, we would start complaining that we don’t get “what we deserve” or cry of marginalization. During the 2019 presidential election, the five South East States were united for PDP but contributed merely 1.6 million votes to PDP which was about the votes that Kano state gave to Buhari. The emotions might run to heavens but politics-power is about cold calculations, organization and building alliances for power. In a democracy, it is a game of numbers. So far, I don’t see any of these— and 2023 might again be a wasted opportunity for Ndigbo! What is our Plan B when Peter Obi loses in February 2023? Some people prefer that we should play the Ostrich while Peter Obi toys with the collective destiny of over 60 million Igbos. Yes, you pray that he wins, but what if he fails as he is certain to? The Bible says that my people perish for lack of knowledge. As the saying goes, only those who Plan can control the future. Ndigbo, wake up and smell the coffee!

What would Zik of Africa or M.I. Okpara do in this circumstance? Our founding fathers understood that in politics, you don’t get what you deserve but what you bargain/negotiate, and you negotiate with your organization and VOTES. Not social media militancy or bullying (where over 90% of actual voters are not on social media)! Our fathers built alliances with other major political parties in other regions (not with socio-cultural groups that don’t command any votes), and Ndigbo were in the reckoning in the first and second republics. After the elections, we will see how many votes any of the leaders of the socio-cultural groups will get for Peter Obi from their wards. Sometimes I even sense a conspiracy to nudge us on a path to nowhere thereby further pushing us into irrelevance, and I pray that I am wrong. Just my two cents!

It is not too late for Ohanaeze Ndigbo and progressive Igbo leaders to pre-emptively start charting a pragmatic future for Ndigbo in Nigeria after the elections. Armchair social media analysts can have the luxury of fantasizing with wild speculations. Right or wrong, they earn their pay and with no consequences. For us as leaders, the lives of tens of millions are at stake. We have a historic duty to act and being silent or politically correct is not an option. For starters, Ohanaeze should study the report of my committee (planning and strategy) in 2019. It may still be relevant today. Second, Ndigbo should seriously study the MoU signed at the Yar’Adua Centre in 2010. The leader of Igbo Political Association, Chief Simon Okeke and our members are still there. Thirdly and for me, Ndigbo should strategize and bargain especially with the TWO candidates likely to be president on at least four central issues:

A) Lasting peace and security in the South East, including the release and engagement with Nnamdi Kanu.

B)South East Economic transformation agenda and the FGN’s Marshall Plan for the South East as promised since the end of the Civil War (the post war ‘reconstruction’). We appreciate the Second Niger Bridge and recent contract for MTN to reconstruct the Onitsha-Enugu expressway. But the rail-lines to the five state capitals, speedy access to the sea, highways linking South East to the North and South South, addressing our existential threat as gully erosion capital of Africa, Free Trade and Export Processing Zones, etc.

C) Restructuring Agenda for Nigeria that devolves powers/resources to the subnational entities and in which it would no longer matter where the President comes from.

D) Levelling the playing field for the unleashing of the private sector and the full participation of Ndigbo in the economic and governance space; etc.

To conclude, let me once again wish my brother Peter Obi good luck. He should have fun and enjoy the fleeting frenzy of the moment. But he must moderate the desperation as exhibited by his social media mob. There is a limit to propaganda. A mob action often reflects the character of its leader. No one has a monopoly of social media violence, and no one should play God. Life won’t end by February/March 2023.

I hope that after February 2023, Peter Obi will return to APGA (the party that made him everything he is politically) as I offered him on 8th March, 2022 and begin the hard work, if he truly wants to be president of Nigeria. It won’t happen by desperately jumping from one party to another or by unleashing a social media mob on everyone who slightly disagrees with you. I decided to pen my views personally — again for the records. On this, I don’t mind being a one man minority. As history beckons, my conscience and sense of duty to my people dictate that I should never be silent. I will happily accept the judgment of history for standing by the truth!

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Atiku Condemns Tinubu’s Emergency Rule Declaration in Rivers, Says It’s ‘Political Manipulation’

Published

5 hours ago

March 18, 2025

Eric

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, labeling it as “political manipulation and outright bad faith.”

Atiku criticized Tinubu for being a “vested partisan actor” in the crisis and accused him of negligence in preventing its escalation.

Atiku said the security breaches and destruction of national infrastructure in Rivers are directly the President’s responsibility.

He argued that Tinubu’s administration has enabled chaos in the Niger Delta, reversing years of progress achieved under late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

His words: “The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State reeks of political manipulation and outright bad faith. Anyone paying attention to the unfolding crisis knows that Bola Tinubu has been a vested partisan actor in the political turmoil engulfing Rivers.

“His blatant refusal or calculated negligence in preventing this escalation is nothing short of disgraceful. Beyond the political scheming in Rivers, the brazen security breaches that led to the condemnable destruction of national infrastructure in the state land squarely on the President’s desk.

“Tinubu cannot evade responsibility for the chaos his administration has either enabled or failed to prevent. It is an unforgivable failure that under Tinubu’s watch, the Niger Delta has been thrown back into an era of violent unrest and instability — undoing the hard-won peace secured by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

“Years of progress have been recklessly erased in pursuit of selfish political calculations. If federal infrastructure in Rivers has been compromised, the President bears full responsibility.”

Source: Politicsnigeria

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Rivers: Full Text of Tinubu’s Speech on Declaration of Emergency

Published

5 hours ago

March 18, 2025

Eric

TEXT OF THE BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, DECLARING STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE ON TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2025

Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.

With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.

Also, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.

On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms:

“a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”

The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected

“are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members”

The Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated.

Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.

Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.

Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.

The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.

With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.

In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March, 2025 and I so do.

By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.

In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.

The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.

This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.

Long live a united, peaceful, secure and democratic Rivers State in particular and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a whole.

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AfDB President, Akinwumi Adesina’s Acceptance Speech

Published

1 day ago

March 17, 2025

Eric

Speech by Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina
President and Chairman of the Boards of Directors, African Development Bank Group, At the State House Event on the Conferment of the Chief of the Order of Golden Heart, C.G.H, State House, Nairobi, Kenya, March 17, 2025.

Your Excellency, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, C.G.H.

Your Excellency, Professor Kithure Kindiki, Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya.

Honorable Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary,
Honorable Cabinet Secretaries,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.

Good morning! Habari za Azubuhi.

Your Excellency, President Ruto, I am most grateful for your conferring on me today the prestigious honor of the Chief of the Order of Golden Heart, C.G.H, Kenya’s highest and most distinguished honor.

I am greatly humbled by your incredible kindness!

What a great honor! What a rare privilege! What a historic recognition!

Thank you, thank you, and thank you, Your Excellency, Mr. President.

It is such a joy to be back here, with my dear wife Grace, in Kenya, a nation that I love, and to be in the State House, with a President who is a dear brother and friend. They say home is where your heart will always be.

I consider Kenya as my home. Afterall, I lived and worked here in this beautiful country for about 9 years, starting from my days working with the Rockefeller Foundation and the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). I have been back ever since, so I can claim to have been working in and on Kenya for at least 20 years.

The friendship between myself and President Ruto goes way back over those 20 years. As we say in Kenya, “Tumetoka Mbali” – we have come from far.”
Yes, we have come from far since Mr. President you were a much younger Minister of Agriculture, under the then government of President Mwai Kibaki. Your predecessor, former President Kenyatta, was then the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

I recall the very frequent and engaging discussions between us on how to improve the quality of lives of Kenyans. From seminars to workshops and conferences, we engaged intensely. I was not just working in Kenya, I was a Kenyan by mind, heart and soul, as I immersed myself in Kenya.

I remember that when I was later appointed as the Minister of agriculture in Nigeria, I came along with President Goodluck Jonathan on a State visit to Kenya. President Kenyatta and yourself, as then Deputy President, received us at the Jomo Kenyatta airport. As President Jonathan was making introductions of his ministers and got to me, he introduced me as “Minister of Agriculture of Nigeria.” President Kenyatta said “Yes, I know him. He is the Kenyan on loan to the Nigerian government!” We all busted out laughing (Laugh).

Of course, he was right, for even when I was appointed Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, I appointed Maria Mulindi, a Kenyan, as my Chief of Staff.

I worked everywhere in Kenya and have such great memories. From my praying and preaching at the Nairobi Pentecostal Church Valley Road (with Bishop Boniface Adoyo, Bishop Oginde and many others) to small family prayer groups with my Kenyan friends, to working with farmers and schools across Kenya.

From working with a friend of mine (Robert Mbugua) speaking across high schools to encourage and inspire the youth, to supporting research institutions including the Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute, the African Economic Research Consortium (with Dr. Harris Mule and Prof. Willis Oluoch-Kosura, Prof Chris Ackello Ogutu and Dr. Gem Argwings-Kodhek), to working with corporate giants such as Chris Kirubi who owned the International House, and Vimal Shah, of BIDCO Oil Refineries.

From working to support girls education with the Forum for Women Educationalists in Africa (with Dr. Edda Gachukia and Dr. Ruth Kagia) to working to improve the lives of farmers across the farms from Bungoma, to Eldoret, Kisi, and across the Rift Valley.
From working with the Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) to develop new technologies, to working on the farms in Muranga with Dr. Florence Wambugu, to scale up the uptake of tissue culture bananas by farmers.

I recall my work launching the development of agro-dealer networks across Kenya (with Dr. Caleb Wangia of the Agricultural Market Development Trust (AGMARK), as we rapidly expanded availability of farm input traders across Kenya.

I was so driven and so much wanted things to change positively for Kenyans. I was very concerned then about the millions of poor farmers in Kenya who were begging for food and had no access to seeds or fertilizers. I wanted to see a national program to provide subsidized seeds and fertilizers for poor farmers across Kenya.
The then PS of agriculture, Dr. Romano Kiome, and then Minister of Agriculture, Kipruto Arap Kirwa, became allies and agreed.

But it was not a popular move. Several donors were unhappy with me at the time for trying to push for subsidies for farmers, including my own office, The Rockefeller Foundation. I was even told that if I did not back off, I could lose my job. I was undeterred, as I said, “if trying to help poor people is the reason for losing my job, I cannot think of a more honorable way to lose a job: fighting for the poor.”

I recall going to one meeting of donors at the time to push for this, and as soon I raised the issue, the chair of the session (a Kenyan who worked then for the World Bank by the name Daniel) simply said, “next agenda item please.” I retorted that “if I had been the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I would have sent you all packing for spending your time on beaches and not even having a heart for the poor people in Kenya.”

When William Ruto was appointed as the agriculture minister, I asked for a meeting. You need to know something about this man, then Minister Ruto, now President Ruto: he is a man of action. He is relentless. And he will push until he gets things done. He did not wait for me to visit with him at the Kilimo House, he made his way to my office, and we met at 7.30 am. That was how we developed and rolled out the Kilimo Plus program to provide subsidized farm inputs for over 2.5 million poor farmers in the country.

I recall while at AGRA how I developed and rolled out the Kilimo Biashara program, which provided financial guarantee facilities that reduced the risk of lending by commercial banks in Kenya to farmers. It worked so well that it supported Banks such as the Equity Bank (working with James Mwangi) to rapidly expand their lending to the agriculture sector, from its humble beginning, to becoming what it is today, of which I am very proud.

I recall my work with Kenyan colleagues as we developed at the time what was called the Kenyan Agricultural Commodity Exchange (with Adrian Mukhibi, Albert Wessonga) to provide market price information for farmers in the country, using their mobile phones. I remember our working with the Mayor of Bungoma at the time to set up the commodity exchange in Chewele market so farmers could bulk their maize and sell based on grade and quality at the exchange, working at the time with SACRED Africa, an NGO based in Bungoma (with Dr. Eusebius Mukhwana, who later became a Senator).

It worked so well, as middlemen could not rip off farmers anymore. In fact, it worked so well, that some disgruntled middlemen vandalized some of the commodity exchange Kiosks. One day, Mr. Kofi Annan, then former United Nations Secretary General, who was at the time the Chairman of the Board of AGRA, visited Chewele. He was so amazed, as he used his mobile phone to make orders via the exchange; he turned to me and said, “this is the Chicago Board of Exchange in a village in Kenya.”

I tried so hard to be Kenyan, so much so that I started running in the Jaffrey Center, early mornings and weekends. If only I could run like those long-distance runners of Kenya, maybe I could become a Kenyan! I failed, as I could not keep up with them. So, I told myself, let me just stick with being a Nigerian, at least I know that Nigeria can always defeat Kenya in football.

As President of the African Development Bank, I am proud that my colleagues and I have been running with Kenya and scoring development goals with Kenya. Kenya has a special place in the history of the African Development Bank since its establishment in 1964. The very first project ever financed by the African Development Bank was right here in Kenya in 1967, that’s 58 years ago.
The first one links Eldoret to Tororo in Uganda, laying the foundation for a transport infrastructure that drives commerce between countries of the Great Lakes and the Indian Ocean regions. The second road, which connects Nairobi to Kilimanjaro region in Tanzania, has become a major trunk road for commerce and tourism between both countries.
Since 1964, the Bank has financed a total of 167 projects, with financial commitment of $7.8 billion.

But I am especially proud of what we have done in and for Kenya over the past ten years since I was first elected President of the African Development Bank in 2015. Since I was elected President, the Bank has financed a total of 57 projects, with total financing commitment of $4.44 billion. That means we did in the past ten years (under my Presidency) 57% of all the African Development Bank has invested in Kenya for over the past 60 years!

That must tell you how special Kenya is to me!

The African Development Bank’s current portfolio consists of 45 projects worth $4.09 billion. And these projects are having huge impacts across Kenya.

For example, the Bank-supported Last-Mile Connectivity electricity project has helped to increase the population of Kenyans connected to the national electricity grid from 41% in 2014 to 76% in 2024. Put simply, electricity connections increased from 2.42 million households to 9.7 million households.

Many of you may not know that the Bank made this happen. You are not alone! On one of my field trips to the Rift Valley together with Cabinet Secretary minister at the time, Charles Keter, we walked down a dusty road in one of the villages that benefited from the last mile connectivity project. Right in front of us was an elderly woman whose name was Grace (not Grace, my wife!). She was asked by the Cabinet Secretary if she knows that the African Development Bank funded the connection of her village and household to electricity. She said, “I do not know the African Development Bank.” When further asked if she knows Dr. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank. She said “No, I do not know him, where is he?” Of course, I was beside her! She then said, “all I know is that we once were in darkness, now we have light!” (laugh).

With Kenya participating in the Mission 300 launched by the African Development Bank and the World Bank to connect 300 million people to electricity by 2030, Kenya is definitely on course to achieving 100% access to electricity by 2030. Ninaamini Tutatoboa!

The African Development Bank financed and was the Mandated Lead Arranger for the 310 megawatts Lake Turkana Project, which is the largest wind farm in Africa. The Bank also financed the 105 megawatts Menengai Geothermal power plant, further advancing Kenya’s leadership in geothermal development in Africa. For power transmission, the Bank provided $105.5 million for the recently completed Ethiopia-Kenya electricity highway project.

The African Development Bank is supporting several road and transport projects that are improving regional connectivity, trade and reducing travel costs for the population. Let me mention a few.
Take for example, right here in Nairobi, the Bank provided $106.7 million for the rehabilitation of the 13 kilometers Nairobi Outer Ring Road, turning it from a single lane to a dual carriageway, including service roads, grade separated intersections, pedestrian foot over-bridges, walkways and bicycle lanes, while providing secondary access to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The Bank co-financed with $175 million the expansion of the Thika-Nairobi road, expanding it into a six and eight lane highway. This has drastically reduced travel time from 2-3 hours to just 30-45 minutes.
The Bank has approved $852 million for on-going regional integration operations in Kenya. This includes the Bagamoyo-Tanga-Horohoro-/Lunga-Malindi road connecting Kenya and Tanzania. We are supporting the Kapchorwa-Suam-Kitale road project connecting Kenya and Uganda, as well as the Lesseru-Kitale roads project connecting Kenya and South Sudan.

The Bank financed the construction of the Addis-Ababa-Nairobi-Mombasa Highway that has reduced the travel time between Ethiopia and Kenya from 3 days to less than 24 hours and has helped to expand the trade between the two countries by 400%.

The Bank co-financed the dualization of the 84 kilometers Kenol-Sagna-Marua Highway, part of the Kenya section of the Trans-Africa Highway running from Cape to Cairo. Our support of $31million for the Timboroa-Eldoret Road Rehabilitation Project, part of the Northern Corridor, provides transit routes connecting Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Eastern Congo and Southern Sudan.

President Ruto is passionate also about water and sanitation. When I visited with him in May, when Kenya graciously hosted the Bank’s Annual Meetings in 2024, he passionately requested the Bank’s expanded support for water and sanitation. Mr. President, I am pleased that the Bank is providing $634 million towards the Kenya Town’s Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation. This includes Euros 314.92 million for the construction of the Thwake Multipurpose Water Dam, expected to be completed by July 2026. When completed it will provide 150,000 cubic meters of water per day to about 1.3 million people in Kitui and Makueni counties, as well as the Konza Techno-City in Machakos County.

The Bank is strongly supporting the private sector in Kenya. This includes the provision of over $700 million in lines of credit to more than 8 commercial banks, including Equity Bank Group, Kenya Commercial Bank, Diamond Trust Bank, Credit Bank, Commercial Bank of Africa, Family Bank and the Kenyan Mortgage Refinance Company.

I know that Kenya faces a huge challenge with high unemployment for its youth, as manifested in several youth riots that shook Kenya. Unemployment is especially high among Kenya’s well-educated youth. They demand support for skills upgrade, finance to build their businesses, and social protection, as well as inclusion in governance systems.

To support the youth of Kenya, the African Development Bank is providing $309 million for 8 on-going projects targeting skills development for the youth. This includes support for technical and vocational education that has already benefitted 88,000 trainees.

The African Development Bank’s flagship program in support of financing for women, the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) has provided a total of $177 million in loans for 3,177 women-owned businesses.

One of such young women entrepreneurs is Pauline Otila, the CEO of Apiculture Ventures, one of the fastest growing businesses in Kenya’s honey industry. With support received from AFAWA, right here in Kenya, Pauline has tripled her business and grew her beekeepers’ supply network from 1,200 to 10,000 beekeepers. Today, Pauline is one of the leaders in Kenya’s male-dominated beekeeping industry, showing how when women are supported they thrive. In her own words “women are bankable, if given a chance.”

I fully agree. No bird can fly with one wing. I am convinced that when women win, Kenya wins! When women win, Africa wins!
Yes, challenges may be there today, but let’s keep hope alive.

Kenya will grow. Kenya will thrive. Kenya will prosper.

I believe the future will be bright for the youth of Kenya!

That is why the African Development Bank is currently preparing for our Board’s approval, financial support to Kenya, for the establishment of Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank of Kenya. This will be a stand-alone financial institution, that will be 100% dedicated to providing technical assistance, debt and equity financing for the businesses of the youth of Kenya. When I earlier discussed this with President Ruto, as we both were at an airport lounge in Dubai, both of us coming from different tips, he said to me “Adesina. I want this in Kenya like yesterday.” And true to his words, within 48 hours, I received a formal letter of request from President Ruto for the African Development Bank to support the establishment of the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank of Kenya.

To the youths of Kenya, you are not alone. The African Development Bank and our partners will work to boost opportunities for the youth in Kenya. Working with President Ruto and the Government of Kenya, the goal is simple: build youth-based wealth in Kenya.

So, as you can see, my heart has always been in Kenya. I am therefore immensely honored that President Ruto, you are conferring on me Kenya’s highest and most distinguished honor, the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart, CGH. My heart is here, but you made it even better: you added Gold to my Heart!

Thank you President Ruto. Thank you, Kenya!

This an honor that I will cherish for life. It will be a constant reminder that the country I love so much, Kenya, loves me back, appreciates and celebrates my leadership at the African Development Bank, and values and honors the incredible contributions of the Bank to its development.

On behalf of my dear wife, Grace, the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of the African Development Bank, and on my own behalf, I accept this honor with great humility.

May God bless you, my dear brother, President Ruto.

Asante Sana Mheshimiwa Rais Ruto.

May God bless the good people of Kenya.

Mungu aibariki Kenya.

God bless Africa.

Mungu aibariki Afrika.

With all my heart, now the Golden Heart!

Thank you so very much.

Asante Sana!