The wife of Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Nonye Soludo, says Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), is not the godfather of any of her children.
Daniel Ezeigwe, media aide to Nonye Soludo, issued the clarification on Saturday following remarks attributed to Obi in which he said he and his wife were godparents to the governor’s children.
Obi made the comment on Friday while speaking at the Nigerian Guild of Editors’ 22nd Conference in Enugu.
“People may not know, my wife and I are godparents to Soludo’s children. Yes, we are that close. So we are not quarrelling, and we will never quarrel. If I see him any day, he and I will hug and everything. If they say anything, I’ll answer them,” he said.
The statement was subsequently circulated widely, leading to questions about the nature of the relationship between the two families.
Ezeigwe said the clarification was necessary to correct the impression created by Obi’s remarks.
“We hereby state clearly that the claim, as presented, is false,” the statement reads.
“For the avoidance of doubt. Mr Peter Obi is not a godfather to any of the children of Professor Chukwuma and Dr Nonye Soludo.
“The facts concerning the godparent relationship between the two families are as follows: Dr Nonye Soludo, First Lady of Anambra State, is the confirmation ‘godmother’ to Peter Obi’s daughter.
“Mrs Margaret Obi, wife of Mr Peter Obi, is the baptismal godmother to one of Prof Chukwuma Soludo’s daughters.
“Neither Mr Obi nor Professor Soludo has served as a godparent to the other’s children.”
Ezeigwe said Obi may have “simply misspoke” while making the statement, but noted that the widespread circulation of the video made it necessary to clarify the matter.
“It is possible that Mr Peter Obi simply misspoke in the course of making his remarks. However, given the widespread circulation of the video and the enquiries it has generated, it is important that the record be set straight,” he said.
“The relationship between the two families is cordial, and there is no need to misrepresent it in any manner.
“We urge members of the public, the media and all concerned to take note of this clarification and disregard any impression created by the statement that Mr Peter Obi is godfather to any of Governor Soludo’s children.”
The clarification comes amid recent public disagreements over financial issues linked to Obi’s tenure as Anambra governor, which have generated speculation about his relationship with Soludo.
However, Law Mefor, Anambra’s commissioner for information and value reorientation, said on Thursday that there was no personal rift between the two politicians.