Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the country’s financial institutions regulator, Prof. Charles Soludo has emerged the Governor of the biggest economy in South-East Nigeria.
Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) defeated his closest opponents – Valentine Ozigbo of the PDP, Andy Uba of the APC and 14 other candidates to emerge Governor of the state.
The Professor of Economics who spent five years in charge of Nigeria’s apex, won in 19 of the 21 local governments. He had a total of 112,229 votes cast, accruing to 44.9% of the total, as he also emerged winner in 19 of the 21 local governments in the state.
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria between 2004 and 2009, he became a Professor of Economics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1998, having obtained a First Class degree, an M.Sc and Ph.D in Economics all from the institution.
He has been a visiting scholar of the Brookings Institution, United States, the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Warwick and has worked as a consultant with the World Bank and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Soludo joined the Nigerian government in 2003 when he was appointed the Economic Adviser to the Nigerian President at the time, Olusegun Obasanjo before emerging governor of the country’s major lender.
A macro-economic expert, he’s expected to transfer his theoretical excellence and practical experience to Anambra State – a historic, economically-viable state that’s capable of becoming a growth hub in the region. Onitsha, one of the biggest markets in West Africa, and 26 miles away from the state capital, Awka holds the forte in reshaping the economic trajectory of the state.
The former governor of the Central Bank is expected to reshape the fortunes of the state, and most possibly open more doors for foremost academics in the country who may want to take a shot at partisan politics.