Political Firestorm: Soludo's Wife Challenges Peter Obi's 'Godfather' Claims

Anambra State First Lady, Dr. Nonye Soludo, has categorically denied that former governor Peter Obi is the godfather of any of her children. This clarification comes amidst the widespread circulation of a video where Mr. Obi claimed that he and his wife were godparents to Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s children. The First Lady’s statement also addresses renewed political disagreements between Obi and Governor Soludo, particularly concerning financial obligations inherited by successive Anambra administrations, which Obi has previously disputed.

Mr. Peter Obi, who is the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate for the 2027 election, had made the assertion during an interaction with the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Enugu. He had stated that there was no personal quarrel between him and Governor Soludo, describing the governor as his “respected elder brother” and emphasizing that their political differences had not impacted their personal relationship. This claim, however, prompted a direct rebuttal from the Soludo family.

In a statement released by her Media Assistant, Dan Ezeigwe, Mrs. Soludo urged the public and media to disregard any impression created by Obi’s statement, clarifying that “Mr. Peter Obi is not a godfather to any of the children of Professor Chukwuma and Dr. Nonye Soludo.” She suggested that Mr. Peter Obi might have simply misspoke, but stressed the necessity of setting the record straight due to the video’s wide circulation and the numerous inquiries it generated. Mrs. Soludo affirmed that the relationship between the two families remains cordial and should not be misrepresented.

Further elaborating on the precise nature of the godparent relationship, Mrs. Soludo stated the facts as follows: Dr. Nonye Soludo is the confirmation godmother to Peter Obi’s daughter, and Mrs. Margaret Obi, wife of Mr. Peter Obi, is the baptismal godmother to one of Professor Chukwuma Soludo’s daughters. Crucially, she emphasized, “Neither Mr. Obi nor Professor Soludo has served as a godparent to the other’s children.”

Reinforcing her stance, Mrs. Soludo, citing the canon laws of the Catholic Church, insisted that the claim that Peter Obi is a godfather to her children is false. She explained that a wife being a godmother does not automatically confer the role of godfather upon her husband, as sponsorship for Catholic baptism is an individual responsibility. According to Canon 873 of the Code of Canon Law, a baptismal godparent (sponsor) is formally chosen, and while one can have one or two sponsors (one male and one female), the responsibility is specific to the designated individual.

Mrs. Soludo cautioned against misinterpreting Catholic practice for social or political convenience. She clarified that if a woman is chosen as a godmother, her husband does not automatically become a godfather simply by virtue of marriage. “The relevant question is very simple: Who was formally designated as the child’s baptismal sponsor? That is what the Church recognises. Not who the sponsor is married to,” she added. Canon 877 further requires that sponsors' names be recorded in the baptismal register, making the distinction clear. The First Lady concluded by urging Peter Obi’s supporters to apply common sense and logic, adhering to the precise rules of the Church rather than personal interpretations.