Category: Politics

AWKA, NIGERIA (NPA) — March 17, 2026 — Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, has been inaugurated for a second term, outlining plans to deepen development and accelerate the state’s transformation.

Speaking at Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka on Tuesday, Soludo recalled that his first term began without fanfare, focusing immediately on security and urgent social needs, starting with interventions in Okpoko. He said his administration has delivered over 90% of its promises, earning widespread public support and a 73% electoral victory, which he described as a strong endorsement of his development agenda.

He cited major achievements, including dismantling criminal camps and restoring security, extensive road construction and dualization, and urban renewal projects across Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, and Ekwulobia. Other milestones include revived water schemes, environmental efforts, and digital skills training for more than 300,000 youths. Programs such as 1Youth 2Skills and agricultural initiatives, including the distribution of millions of seedlings, have supported job creation and household incomes.

In education and healthcare, the government recruited over 8,000 teachers, expanded free education, upgraded public schools, and recorded improved national performance. In healthcare, free antenatal and delivery services have benefited over 200,000 women, while new hospitals and primary care investments have strengthened access. The state has also received recognition for fiscal transparency and sustainable public finance management.

Soludo reiterated his long-term vision to transform Anambra into an “African Dubai–Taiwan–Silicon Valley,” driven by commerce, industrialisation, and technology, under the Anambra Vision 2070 framework.

Looking ahead, he pledged to prioritise security and electricity while advancing major infrastructure projects, including new cities, an industrial hub, an innovation district, and planned rail and gas systems. He said land banking and structured urban planning are critical to managing future population growth.

The governor also emphasised social reorientation, warning against criminality and promoting values of hard work and integrity among youths.

He called for unity among political actors, collaboration with the federal government, neighbouring states, and investors, and greater participation from citizens and the diaspora. Soludo reaffirmed his commitment to governance over politics, promising to dedicate the next four years to building a secure, livable, and prosperous Anambra.

ABUJA, NIGERIA (NPA) — March 17, 2026 — Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has applauded Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, for his immense contributions to nation‑building and fostering unity. Shettima made the remarks today during the swearing‑in of Soludo and his deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, for a second term in Awka.

Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the well‑attended event, Shettima noted that the APC‑led government has benefited greatly from Soludo’s constructive advice. He described the governor as a man of ideas and honour who, despite entering office at a time when many politicians compromised integrity for relevance and sowed discord, remained committed to national growth and development.

The Vice President hailed Soludo as a specialist of insight, a restless thinker, and a public intellectual of uncommon range. He said, “That is what it means to be in the business of nation‑building. It means placing the welfare of the federation above the vanity of partisan fences. It means understanding that Nigeria is too precious a vessel to be abandoned to the storms simply because the rowers wear different colours.”

The inauguration was graced by dignitaries, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, underscoring the national significance of the occasion.

Soludo’s first tenure recorded landmark milestones, including Nigeria’s largest state budget, urban renewal in Okpoko, infrastructure expansion, improved security, healthcare and education reforms, economic diversification, and environmental management — achievements the Professor of Economics and former Central Bank of Nigeria governor described as Anambra’s “return to winning ways.”

LAGOS, NIGERIA — (NPA) March 17, 2026 — Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, on Tuesday commissioned the rehabilitated 31-kilometre Ohoro–Bomadi Road, in a colourful ceremony attended by community leaders, residents, and party supporters.

In a statement on March 17, 2026, Oborevwori described the road as “very strategic,” noting that it cuts across Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Patani, Bomadi, and Burutu Local Government Areas. He emphasised that his administration views road infrastructure as a catalyst for development and is committed to delivering key projects that improve the lives of the people.

“The inauguration of this road will boost socio-economic activities and change the development narrative of our riverine communities,” the governor said.

Oborevwori also expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reforms that have enhanced allocations to sub-national governments, enabling states to execute capital projects more effectively.

“At the event, I acknowledged the invaluable contributions of our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to the success of my administration through the various reforms that have enhanced allocations to sub-national governments,” he added.

Other landmark road projects currently being executed by the Delta State Government include the massive ₦78 billion Warri/Effurun Flyovers and Road Expansion Project, by Julius Berger, which features three iconic flyovers at PTI Junction, DSC Roundabout, and Enerhen Junction, alongside cloverleaf interchanges and sweeping road upgrades. In addition, the government has rolled out ₦80 billion coastal communities road projects, designed to open up riverine areas and transform access to long‑neglected communities.