Awka, Anambra State – May 9, 2025 —
In a momentous and symbolic gesture, Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, rolled out the red carpet on Thursday to welcome President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on a historic state visit to Anambra—marking the first presidential visit in over a decade.
Addressing a cheering crowd at the newly unveiled 8-lane boulevard and mini-city in Awka, Governor Soludo described the visit as “historic and consequential,” not just for Anambra but for the entire Southeast.
“Nnoo Asiwaju! Nnoo Omenife Awka! Welcome to Anambra, the land of infinite possibilities and now reputed as the safest state in Nigeria,” Governor Soludo declared with passion. “This is home to Zik of Africa, Chinua Achebe, Emeka Anyaoku, and thousands of Africa’s finest minds and hands.”
The Governor detailed transformative projects already completed under his administration—over 500 kilometers of roads, five hospitals, smart schools, bus terminals, and more—highlighting that the projects are not just symbols but the building blocks of Anambra’s ambitious 50-Year Master Plan.
“We are in a haste,” Soludo said. “Our goal is to make Anambra the African Dubai-Taiwan-Silicon Valley—ADTS. Today’s unveiling of the Tower of Light and Monument of Heroes is just the beginning. As the Americans say, ‘you ain’t seen nothing yet!’”
Soludo praised President Tinubu’s bold economic reforms, referencing the challenges inherited and the tough decisions taken to stabilize the nation’s economy.
“You had the courage to tame the Atlantic in Lagos. Now you are gradually getting Nigeria to work again. We say, stay the course, Mr. President,” he said, drawing applause from dignitaries and citizens.
In a show of bipartisan goodwill, Governor Soludo thanked the President for appointing notable Anambra sons and daughters, including Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu and Mark Okoye, to key federal positions.
“Your Pan-Nigerian spirit is commendable. Just as you appointed Ben Akabueze in Lagos, we have also appointed a Permanent Secretary from Osun here in Anambra—Bayo Ojeyinka,” he noted.
However, the Governor also used the opportunity to highlight pressing federal needs, calling for urgent attention to erosion control, gas infrastructure, dredging of the Onitsha River Port, and the long-abandoned Anambra-Kogi federal road.
“Only Asiwaju, the man who tamed the Atlantic, can break this 43-year-old jinx,” Soludo said with conviction.
In perhaps his most ideological assertion, Soludo affirmed APGA’s progressive and federalist stance, aligning it closely with the APC-led federal government.
“Our support for President Tinubu is rooted in history, principle, and ideology. Nigeria must survive and prosper—and for that to happen, President Tinubu must succeed. And we are prepared to support him in every way possible,” he said.
In closing, Governor Soludo offered a light-hearted invitation:
“Mr. President, the Presidential Lodge is ready. It won’t be a bad idea to relocate your office here for a week or two!”
As the visit concluded with warmth and fanfare, many saw it as a new dawn in federal-state synergy, one rooted in shared progressivism and mutual respect.
# AnambraRising #PresidentialVisit #TinubuInAnambra #ProgressivesUnite
