“Until Soludo can name a bigger tax-paying company his administration has attracted to Anambra, his comment only cements what many already believe: that Peter Obi’s legacy, for all the political hate it receives, is rooted in substance”
In a strange twist of political irony, Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo—while attempting to undermine Peter Obi—has unknowingly reinforced one of Obi’s most consistent claims: that SABMiller Breweries, established during Obi’s administration, remains Anambra’s highest tax-paying company.
Soludo, speaking in a tone laced with sarcasm, recently questioned Obi’s legacy by referencing SABMiller. But his jab boomeranged. Because in mocking the brewery’s prominence, Soludo inadvertently confirmed the fact that no administration since Peter Obi’s has succeeded in attracting a bigger, more tax-contributing private investment into Anambra.
The facts are stubborn. SABMiller, now part of AB InBev, was brought into Anambra under Obi’s leadership. He created the conditions—security, infrastructure, fiscal responsibility—that gave investors the confidence to set up shop in Onitsha. That one decision continues to yield returns for the state till this day. Yet Soludo, more focused on political point-scoring, appears blind to this economic reality.
And let us be clear: tax contribution is a hard, measurable metric. If in 2025, SABMiller still leads the state in tax payments, that is a direct indictment of every government that came after Obi, including Soludo’s. What major investor has Soludo attracted? What new industrial giant has emerged under his watch? If the answer is none, then perhaps the mocking should be redirected inward.
This incident exposes a troubling pattern in Nigerian politics—where ego often trumps evidence. Instead of building on his predecessor’s foundation, Soludo seems more obsessed with erasing Obi’s shadow. But leadership is not a pissing contest; it is a relay. The question is not whether Peter Obi did enough. The question is: what has Soludo done since?
Mockery is cheap. Governance is not.
Until Soludo can name a bigger tax-paying company his administration has attracted to Anambra, his comment only cements what many already believe: that Peter Obi’s legacy, for all the political hate it receives, is rooted in substance—and still speaking for itself.
—By Noel Chiagorom
Public Affairs Analyst, Socio-Political Commentator & Columnist.
