The Anambra State First Lady, Dr Nonye Soludo, has clarified that former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi’s recent claim that he and his wife are “godparents” to her children.
Soludo’s wife who faulted the claim, declared that Obi is not a godfather to any of her children, while clarifying the actual godparent relationships between the two families.
The First Lady spoke on Saturday through her media aide, Daniel Ezeigwe.
Obi, who is the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, made the remark on Friday while speaking at the 22nd Conference of the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Enugu.
The former governor said his relationship with Soludo remained cordial despite their political differences, stressing that the differences had not resulted in a personal quarrel between them.
“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 of Obi’s remarks subsequently circulated widely on social media, prompting reactions and requests for clarification concerning the nature of the relationship between the two families.
Responding to the development in a statement issued on Saturday, Ezeigwe said the office of the Anambra State First Lady had received several calls and enquiries seeking clarification on Obi’s statement.
According to him, the claim, as presented, was inaccurate, and the clarification was necessary to establish the facts.
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.
“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.”
The clarification distinguishes between the respective godparent relationships involving the two families, while maintaining that the relationship between Obi and Soludo remains cordial despite their political differences.
