The Anambra State APC Deputy Governorship Candidate, Senator Uche Lilian Ekwunife (Iyom), PhD, CON, has launched a fierce critique of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, questioning his competence and describing his leadership style as petty and insensitive.
Ekwunife’s remarks follow Soludo’s recent campaign statements in which he reportedly questioned her academic qualifications and dismissed the likelihood of a woman married into Anambra Central rising to the governorship.
In a short video currently trending on social media, Ekwunife accused the governor of presiding over bloodshed, hunger, and widespread hardship in the state. She cited the killings of two sitting members of the Anambra State House of Assembly under Soludo’s tenure, lamenting that, as Chief Security Officer, he has failed to identify the perpetrators or bring them to justice.
Addressing allegations that her PhD certificate is fake, Ekwunife challenged Soludo to verify her credentials in court rather than using campaign rallies to attack her. She insisted her academic qualifications, earned from reputable institutions including the University of Calabar and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, are authentic and publicly verifiable.
The former lawmaker also criticised what she described as a collapse of social and economic life in Anambra since Soludo assumed office. She noted that weekends once marked by vibrant social gatherings now reflect fear, insecurity, and economic stagnation.
Reacting to Soludo’s remark that he would not hand over power to a woman married into another senatorial district, Ekwunife pointed out that his own daughter is married outside her zone, questioning whether his logic would deny her rights in her husband’s community. She emphasised that no individual, including Soludo, can dictate her destiny.
Ekwunife went further, ridiculing Soludo’s personal hygiene, alleging that he suffers from persistent bad breath and body odour. She described him as “the dirtiest Governor in West Africa” and cheekily advised his wife to provide deodorant and mouthwash as part of her celebrated healthy living campaign.
The APC deputy governorship candidate also dismissed Soludo’s professorship as more symbolic than earned, accusing him of masking his failures with “agbero-style theatrics” while neglecting pressing issues in the state.
She urged the governor to focus on tackling insecurity, solving the killings of lawmakers such as the late Hon. Azuka of Onitsha North, and improving the welfare of Ndi Anambra instead of maligning opponents.
“I am what I am today by God’s grace, hard work, and perseverance,” Ekwunife stated, adding that she will achieve her destiny with or without Soludo’s approval. She concluded that the governor is “too small” to determine her political future, asserting that Ndi Anambra will ultimately judge both leaders at the polls.
