Soludo’s Scathing Tongue: Why Civility Must Return to Public Office

As Anambra gears up for the November 8 governorship election, Governor Chukwuma Soludo has found himself not just on the ballot of low performance, but on the ballot of conduct. His recent barrage of scathing statements against political opponents—especially the deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Iyom Uche Ekwunife has left many Ndi Anambra shaking their heads. For a man of his stature, a professor and former Central Bank Governor, this descent into street-level politics is unbecoming.

Public office is a sacred trust. A governor is not just an administrator, he is a symbol of the people, the face of leadership, and a model for citizens. When that face is contorted by insults and caustic rhetoric, it reflects poorly on the entire institution. Gov. Soludo’s remarks may excite loyal supporters, but they chip away at the dignity of governance.

A professor is supposed to embody knowledge, refinement, and restraint. In Gov. Soludo’s case, the weight of his intellectual background makes his choice of words even more disappointing. The public expected a governor who would dazzle with ideas, not one who would spar with insults.

Nigeria’s political space is already poisoned with divisive speech; a leader of Gov. Soludo’s caliber should raise the tone of conversation, not drag it further into the mud. By resorting to uncouth statements, he reduces his very few achievements to footnotes in the noise of political quarrels.

The truth, however, is this, many Ndi Anambra do not feel the full weight of Soludo’s promises. For all the fanfare of his entry into office, the promise of an Africa-Dubai-Taiwan readily comes to mind, the delivery has fallen short of expectation. That makes his scathing remarks even more problematic. A governor who has not delivered on his promises should not trade insults, but try to convince his subjects on steps he will take to at least show that he is making efforts to make life better for the people if and only if he is re-elected.

But Anambra people are pragmatic. They don’t care for insults; they care for results. They want safer communities especially in the face of government-employed security agents who rather than protect the citizens who generate the tax through which their remunerations are drawn, rather maul, bully and even send them to the great beyond. Words don’t tar roads or fix schools. Leadership is measured by results, not sharp, foul tongues.

Leadership is not just about governing—it is about modeling behaviour. A public officer must show restraint even under provocation. In a political season, disagreements are expected, but they should be handled with civility and maturity. To attack opponents personally is to cheapen the debate and trivialise governance.

Gov. Soludo should remember that his greatest weapon against opponents should not be his tongue but his track record. The most dignified rebuttal to criticism is visible progress except that the criticism this time was ignited by the governor himself. How laughable. By choosing to speak like a campaign thug instead of a statesman, he diminishes both himself and his office.

The damage goes beyond Gov. Soludo as a person. When leaders normalise insults, followers adopt the same language. Politics becomes war, not dialogue. Nigeria’s democracy is still trotting, and it cannot afford leaders who make incivility the norm. Anambra cannot afford to go back to its days of political rascality.

Public officers are meant to inspire, not provoke. They should elevate conversations, not drag them to the gutter. The weight of governance demands composure, humility, and foresight—values that are fast disappearing in Anambra’s political space. A quick reminder that Gov. Soludo has insulted all opposition candidates in this forthcoming election starting with attacks on presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi through his unpopular article; History Beckons and I will Not Be Silent (Part I) where he even called members of Peter Obi supporters – Obidient Movement “headless mobs”. Funnily enough, the governor is yet to release the Part II of that article. Perhaps common sense prevailed.

Gov. Soludo must step back and ask himself: how will history remember me? As the professor who brought intellectual rigour into governance? Or as the governor who squandered his reputation with insults? His legacy will not just be in policies, but also in behaviour.

It is time to rise above petty politics. Anambra deserves better. Nigeria deserves better. The people need leaders who can trade ideas, not insults; who can deliver results, not rhetoric. If Soludo doesn’t want to be remembered as a former governor with a sharp tongue, he must learn to govern with civility.

In the end, the verdict of the people will be shaped not just by what he built or did not build, but also by how he behaved. History truly beckons and ndi Anambra are watching.

Ejike Agbata writes from Nri,

Anaocha LGA,

Anambra State 

.