The media aide to the Anambra State First Lady, Dr Nonye Soludo, Daniel Ezeigwe, has disputed former governor Peter Obi’s claim that he and his wife are “godparents” to the children of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, saying Obi is not a godfather to any of the governor’s children.
Obi, who is the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, had said he and his wife were “godparents” to Soludo’s children, stressing that despite their political differences, there was no quarrel between them.
The former governor spoke on Friday at the Nigerian Guild of Editors’ 22nd Conference in Enugu.
“People might 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, me and him will hug and everything. If they say anything, I’ll answer them,” Obi said.
The video has since circulated widely, generating reactions and requests for clarification.
However, in a statement issued on Saturday, Daniel Ezeigwe, the media aide to the Anambra State First Lady, Dr Nonye Soludo, said the office had received several calls and enquiries seeking clarification on the claim.
Ezeigwe said Obi was not a “godfather” to any of Soludo’s children, adding that the clarification was necessary to set the record straight.
The statement read, “The attention of the First Lady of Anambra State, Dr Nonye Soludo, has been drawn to a viral video in which the former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, claimed that ‘he and his wife are godparents to Soludo’s children’.
“Following the widespread circulation of the video, we have received several calls and enquiries seeking clarification on the claim.
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“We hereby state clearly that the claim, as presented, is false. 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.
“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.
“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.”
