Anambra First Lady Clarifies Family Ties with Peter Obi Amid Political Tensions

 

Anambra State First Lady Dr. Nonye Soludo has publicly rejected claims by former governor Peter Obi that he serves as godfather to any of her children, issuing a detailed clarification on the longstanding but limited godparent relationships between the two prominent families.

The statement, released Saturday by her media assistant Dan Ezeigwe, responds to a viral video of remarks Obi made Friday at the Nigerian Guild of Editors conference in Enugu. In those comments, the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential hopeful for 2027 sought to downplay suggestions of personal animosity with incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo. Obi described the governor as his “respected elder brother” and stated that he and his wife, Margaret, were godparents to Soludo’s children, underscoring that political differences had not ruptured their personal bond.

Mrs. Soludo’s office described the assertion as inaccurate. “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 statement reads.

It outlined the actual connections: Dr. Nonye Soludo is the confirmation godmother to one of Obi’s daughters, while Margaret Obi is the baptismal godmother to one of the Soludos’ daughters. Neither Obi nor Governor Soludo has served as a godparent to the other’s children.

The First Lady’s office noted that the family had received multiple enquiries after the video circulated widely and suggested Obi may have misspoken. It emphasized that the relationship between the families remains cordial and should not be misrepresented.

The clarification occurs against a backdrop of renewed public disagreements between Obi and Soludo, including disputes over the financial legacies left by successive Anambra administrations. Obi has rejected claims that his tenure left significant debts for later governments.

Arise News first highlighted the development in a post sharing the story, drawing significant attention on X as Nigerians debated the personal and political dimensions of the exchange.

The episode illustrates how personal family details continue to intersect with Nigeria’s high-stakes political rivalries, particularly in Anambra State, where both men have held the governorship.