Soludo Says Southeast Needs Nigeria Rejects Separatist Agitation

Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has declared that he does not support separatist movements in the Southeast, insisting that the region’s growth and prosperity depend on its unity with Nigeria.

Speaking during a television interview on Sunday Politics on Channels TV, Soludo said that while every citizen has the right to peaceful protest, he does not share the secessionist vision promoted by Nnamdi Kanu and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He stated that his administration’s focus is governance and development, not activism.

The governor noted that the once-dominant Monday sit-at-home order in Anambra has largely disappeared, with residents freely conducting their daily activities. He explained that security has improved, and those who still stay home on Mondays now do so by choice, not out of fear.

Soludo said that both Kanu and IPOB have publicly distanced themselves from the sit-at-home directive, identifying criminal groups as the ones who hijacked it to instill fear and disrupt life in the region. He appreciated their stance and described it as a step toward restoring normalcy.

The governor stressed that his role is to deliver good governance while respecting citizens’ rights to express their views. He added that democracy allows freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, but leaders must remain focused on improving lives rather than engaging in agitation.

Soludo also revealed that he has advised Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other Southeast leaders to open dialogue with Kanu once he regains freedom, saying that no individual has a monopoly of ideas about the future of the Igbo people. According to him, meaningful engagement among all stakeholders will foster unity and progress in the region.

Reaffirming his belief in a united Nigeria, Soludo described the Igbo as an entrepreneurial and mobile people whose survival and success depend on coexistence with other ethnic groups. He said the Igbo are vital to Nigeria’s growth, just as Nigeria provides a platform for their prosperity.

He maintained that diversity is part of Nigeria’s divine design and should be used as a source of strength rather than division. He added that he holds firm to his belief that the Southeast cannot thrive in isolation and that Nigeria equally benefits from the energy and creativity of the Igbo people.

Soludo’s remarks come as political figures such as Atiku Abubakar and Omoyele Sowore continue to mobilize support for a nationwide protest on October 20, demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since June 2021.