Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo has denied requesting that APGA supporters work against Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party (LP), in the general elections in 2023.
APGA member Soludo met with members of his party last week.
The governor allegedly ordered the party members to work against Obi in the upcoming presidential election, according to a story that surfaced after the meeting.
However, the governor referred to the claim as "fallacious, disgusting, and malicious" in a statement released on Wednesday by his spokesperson, Christian Aburime.
Soludo said he only had a “private meeting with party members,” pointing out that it was a routine gathering where “issues concerning APGA are discussed.”
“At no time during the meeting was Peter Obi, a point of discourse,” he said.
The governor said the clarification was necessary to correct the misinformation caused by the report.
“We, therefore, urge Ndi Anambra and members of the general public to completely ignore and disregard the publication in all its entirety,” Soludo added.
Since he emerged the LP candidate, Obi, a former governor of Anambra State has been garnering support from Nigerians across the country and from Nigerians in the Diaspora.
Obi served as the governor of Anambra State between 2006 and 2014 under the platform of APGA.
In October 2014, seven months after handing over to Willie Obiano, the former governor defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Obi, who was Abubakar’s running mate in the PDP in the 2019 presidential election, was among the PDP presidential aspirants this year.
He announced his resignation from the PDP a few days to the party presidential primary, saying there were practices in the party that were inconsistent with his “belief and persona”.
He defected to the LP where he later emerged the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.
APGA, his former party, is fielding a presidential candidate for the 2023 general election.
The APGA candidate, Peter Umeadi, hails from the same Anambra State as Obi.
Soludo has repeatedly said, as a party man, he would support the APGA candidate for the 2023 election, despite the fact that “he wishes Obi well” in his presidential ambition.