Okafor said the gesture was in appreciation of a N100,000 cash gift she received from the governor.

The event, held at Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, attracted dignitaries and residents from across the state.

The septuagenarian, who arrived at the venue in a wheelchair, drew cheers from the crowd as she danced toward the podium holding the fowl in a bucket.

Okafor, a native of Abatete in Idemili north LGA, said she received the financial support from Soludo during an event in Eziowelle community.

According to her, she invested the money in poultry farming, with the fowl presented to the governor part of the proceeds.

“I came to witness the swearing-in of Governor Soludo because he gave me N100,000 during an event in my community,” she said.

“I invested the money in poultry, and this fowl is part of the proceeds. I am here to show my appreciation to him.”

The post ‘I started my poultry with N100,000 he gave me’ — 74-year-old woman gifts live fowl to Soludo at inauguration first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

In a statement on Sunday, Tinubu described  the victory as a testament to Soludo’s visionary leadership and the remarkable progress recorded under his administration.

He said Soludo’s overwhelming victory at Saturday’s governorship poll made him the third governor in Anambra’s history to win a second term.

“I congratulate Professor Chukwuma Soludo on his re-election as the governor of Anambra State,” Tinubu said.

“The overwhelming victory he recorded in Saturday’s poll has now made him the third governor in the state’s political history to win a second term.”

The president also commended the people of Anambra, security agencies, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for ensuring a peaceful and credible election.

He praised Soludo for applying academic principles to governance, saying his leadership has brought accountability, transparency, and prudent management to the state.

“Governor Soludo, the solution, has demonstrated that indeed knowledge is power and that academic principles can be applied in serving the people,” Tinubu said, noting that his administration had brought “discipline, grace, brilliance, and a fresh perspective” to governance.

The president recalled his visit to Anambra in May, where he inaugurated several projects executed by the Soludo administration.

“I highlighted the good thinking behind the landmark projects being embarked upon by Mr Solution. That experience is indeed remarkable and will remain indelible in my mind,” he said.

While urging Soludo to be magnanimous in victory and to work with his opponents, Tinubu assured him of continued collaboration between the Federal Government and Anambra State.

He added that the re-election of Soludo and the victory of the All Grand Progressives Alliance (APGA) reflected the vitality of Nigeria’s democracy.

“The victory of the opposition All Grand Progressives Alliance in the election again demonstrates the vitality of our political system and the fact that victory for any progressive and hardworking leader can hardly be encumbered or denied,” the president stated.

Tinubu also commended Joash Amupitan, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and his team for conducting what observers have described as a credible election, charging the commission to sustain and improve on the standards achieved.

The post Tinubu hails Soludo’s re-election, describes victory as affirmation of vsionary leadership first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

Speaking on Monday during the Arise TV morning show, Abati said any politician who promises a single term is demonstrating desperation, noting that it will not work.

He said northerners who are already dissatisfied with a Yoruba president will reject the idea of an Igbo president because Nigeria’s civil conflict has not ended.

“Any politician who comes to you and says he would only serve one term is desperate,” Abati said.

“It won’t work. All of this talk about serving food, carrying dishes, and acting boyish at parties, which could have been better organised by event organisers, is a symptom of desperation. It does not work. It’ll never work.

“The second difficulty is that you stated that the North will support this one-term strategy. No! The North will not because the civil conflict in this country has never been resolved.

“I don’t believe that Northerners who are already dissatisfied with a Yoruba president will suddenly embrace the notion of an Igbo president. There are contradictions in our country that have not been resolved.”

The Times of Abuja reports that Obi has insisted that he would serve one term of four years if elected Nigerian president.

Chukwuma Soludo, the governor of Anambra, however, said any politician promising to serve a one term should be sent to a psychiatric home.

The post Abati: Obi’s one-term presidency idea is desperate, won’t work first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

The former governor of Anambra, who is deeply involved in the opposition coalition seeking to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections, said his vow to serve a term is sacrosanct.

However, on Saturday, Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, said politicians promising to serve one term in office should be taken to a psychiatric home.

Tell us where it has ever happened or who. Anybody who is saying this needs a psychiatric examination because you are taking every one of us to be a fool,” Soludo said during a political rally in Anambra.

In a post shared on his X handle on Sunday, Obi cited former US Presidents Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and the late Nelson Mandela of South Africa as great leaders, who served only one term in office.

He said history has shown that “the longer many African leaders remain in power, the more likely they are to be corrupted by it”.

“One of the greatest American Presidents, Abraham Lincoln, served only four years, yet his legacy endures as a model of principled leadership,” he wrote.

“Another iconic figure, John F. Kennedy, did not even complete a full term, yet his vision and ideals continue to inspire generations.

“In Africa, Nelson Mandela, revered globally as a symbol of justice and reconciliation, chose to serve only one term as President of South Africa, despite immense public pressure to stay longer.

“His decision was a deliberate act of leadership, a statement that power must serve the people, not the self.

“Indeed, history shows that the longer many African leaders remain in power, the more likely they are to be corrupted by it. Longevity in office is not a mark of success; rather, it is purposeful, accountable service – however brief – that defines true statesmanship.

It is within this context that I reiterate my vow: I will serve only one term of four years if elected President. And that vow is sacrosanct.

“I am fully aware that the decay in our society has made trust one of the scarcest and most sceptically viewed commodities.

“Many Nigerians, understandably, no longer take politicians at their word. But even in this climate of cynicism, there are still a few whose actions have matched their words – whose integrity is built on verifiable precedent. Recently, I became aware of two statements aimed, albeit indirectly, at my vow to serve only a single four-year term.

“One person remarked that even if I swore by a shrine, I still wouldn’t be believed. Another suggested that anyone talking about doing only one term should undergo psychiatric evaluation.

“I understand the basis of their scepticism. They are judging me by their own standards – where political promises are made to be broken.

“But they forget, or perhaps choose to ignore, that Peter Obi is not cut from that cloth. I have a verifiable track record that speaks louder than speculation.

“In my political life, my word is my bond. When I entered politics in Anambra State, I made clear and measurable promises to the people: to improve education and healthcare, to open up rural areas through road construction, and to manage public funds with prudence.

“I fulfilled each of those promises without deviation. I did not swear by a shrine, nor have I been certified mentally unstable as a result of honouring my word. My vow to serve only one term of four years is a solemn commitment, rooted in my conviction that purposeful, transparent leadership does not require an eternity.

“If making such a promise qualifies me for psychiatric evaluation, then we may as well question the mental fitness of those who framed our Constitution, which clearly stipulates a four-year renewable tenure.

“I maintain without equivocation: if elected, I will not spend a day longer than four years in office. In fact, I believe that service should be impactful, not eternal.

“We must rebuild trust in our country. I have dedicated my public life to demonstrating that leadership with integrity is not a myth. I have done it before, and I do not intend to betray that trust under any circumstances.

Forty-eight months is enough for any leader who is focused and prepared to make a meaningful difference. In that time, I intend not merely to make an impression, but to deliver on concrete promises to: sanitise our governance system; tackle insecurity through effective and accountable use of national resources; prioritise education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation; catalyse small businesses as engines of growth; and combat corruption with unflinching resolve.

“Above all, I will dedicate myself to transforming Nigeria from a consuming nation into a productive one, where agriculture, technology, and manufacturing replace rent-seeking and waste as our national anchors.

“These are not utopian dreams. They are realistic, actionable goals that are achievable within four years.”

The post ‘My word is my bond’ — Peter Obi insists on single term amid Soludo’s psychiatric remark first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

Njoku, who was recently recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the chairman of APGA, spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today,

He said Soludo is not greater than the party and should stoop to conquer.

“I have stooped a lot, I have gone to him (Gov Soludo), I have had meetings with him. The important thing is doing the right thing at all times and not thinking you can impose yourself on the party,” Njoku said.

“Soludo might need to bite the bit let us hear each other because we are the party and the party is supreme.”

Njoku also dismissed rumours that he planned to scuttle the second term ambition of the governor in 2025.

He stressed that the rift between him and Soludo might affect the party’s fortunes in next year’s governorship election In Anambra State.

The APGA chairman added that he does not have any grudge against the governor.

“I am too big for what you are saying. Why should I have anything against Soludo? The only thing Soludo doesn’t like is that I am a man who has my own mind,” he said.

“Governor Soludo is looking for an SA who is has and now installed him. APGA has said it will not happen, APGA must have good executives.”

APGA has been embroiled in a leadership crisis as both Sylvester Ezeokenwa and Njoku are claiming to be the APGA Chairman.

Ezeokenwa was elected as APGA Chairman in May 2023 after an elective convention was held in Awka, Anambra state.

However, in July, INEC recognised Edozie Njoku as the national chair of APGA. The electoral body said it relied on a court order to do so.

The post You can’t impose yourself on APGA, Edozie Njoku tells Soludo first appeared on The Times of Abuja.