How Tinubu is rebuilding South-east to heal wounds of civil war – Soludo

The governor explained that his latest praise of Mr Tinubu stemmed from a message he received from the Presidency on Wednesday that Mr Tinubu had approved two federal roads in Anambra for design and procurement.

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has praised President Bola Tinubu for “demonstrating commitment to reconstruction of the South-east”.

Mr Soludo, in a Facebook post on Thursday,  said President Tinubu has been rebuilding the South-east to heal wounds of the civil war which happened from 1967 to 1970.

“Certainly, President Tinubu has a date with history, and even more so with the South-east.

“He continues to demonstrate his avowed commitment to orchestrating the reconstruction of the South-east—thereby finally healing the wounds of the civil war,” he said.

The governor explained that his latest praise of Mr Tinubu stemmed from a message he received from the Presidency on Wednesday that Mr Tinubu had approved two federal roads in Anambra for design and procurement.

He said one of the approved roads which connect Anambra to Kogi State is Otuocha–Anam–Abaji, which is about 108km.

According to him, the second road about 150 km – which connects Anambra to Imo, Enugu and passes through Abia and Port Harcourt- is Oba–Nnewi–Uga–Ihube Road.

He said both roads were marked for dualisation.

Mr Soludo narrated that he met with Mr Tinubu on 1 July during which he discussed the roads with the president before Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, contacted him the following day to send details of the roads which he forwarded to the minister on 3 July.

“On the 15th July, I received a message from the Ministry of Works that the president has graciously approved both roads for ‘design and procurement,’” he said.

“What can I say? These two roads constitute critical game-changers for the South-east, South-south and North -central.”

Tinubu redefining politics

Mr Soludo contended that Mr Tinubu has been redefining politics in Nigeria with his infrastructural developmental projects in the South-east.

“There are several unprecedented, foundational infrastructural rebirths going on in the Southeast at the moment.

“For me personally, this is why politics makes sense to me—working collaboratively and building alliances to achieve concrete results that improve the lives of the people,” he said.

Mr Soludo is a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) under which he won a reelection in 2025.

However, the governor has consistently expressed support for the reelection bid of Mr Tinubu, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He has been openly campaigning for the president and often stressed that “the progressives are working together” to indicate harmonious relationship between the APC and APGA.

Background on Nigerian civil war

South-east has been agitating to secede from Nigeria for decades over alleged marginalisation.

In 1967, then-Military Governor of Eastern Nigeria, Odumegwu Ojukwu, declared the independence of the region – called Biafra Republic – from Nigeria over alleged marginalisation and mass killings of Easterners in the northern part of the country.

But then-Nigeria Military Government led by Yakubu Gowon challenged the declaration which resulted in the bloody three-year-long civil war.

About 3 million people – mainly from Eastern Nigeria – died during the war.