Senator Victor Umeh has accused Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo of acting out of envy and hatred towards presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr Peter Obi.
Umeh claimed that Soludo was trying to surpass Obi's political record, insisting that the former Anambra governor remained more popular than his successor in the state and across Nigeria.
The senator made the remarks on Tuesday while fielding questions on Channels Television's Politics Today programme.
Umeh, who said he attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, alongside Obi and Soludo between 1980 and 1984, suggested that their shared academic background might have contributed to what he described as peer envy.
He said, “He (Peter Obi) cannot be drawn to what is called the peer envy and hate. You know, all of us were in the university together. Myself, Soludo, Peter Obi. We were at the University of Nigeria from 1980 to 1984, all of us graduated the same day.
“So sometimes when you see people talk, they talk out of maybe peer envy. He (Soludo) is running after Peter Obi's record.”
The senator further argued that Obi remained more popular than Soludo despite the latter's position as governor of Anambra State.
“Whether he likes it or not, today, no matter what Soludo does, Peter Obi will continue to be more popular than him, both in Nigeria and in Anambra State. Go there and see,” Umeh added.
Obi served as governor of Anambra State from 2006 to 2014. Soludo became governor in 2022.
'Envy, hate behind Soludo’s attacks on Peter Obi' - Senator Umeh