Dozens of protesters on Wednesday barricaded the National Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, demanding the exclusion of a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Charles Soludo, from the Anambra State Governorship election scheduled for November 6. 

The protesters under the aegis of the Anambra Restoration Movement, also called on the Federal Government to arrest and prosecute him for alleged fraud while in CBN. 

The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as, ‘It’s embarrassing we have to protest to keep a thief out of public office;’ ‘Anambra created by God, Soludo created by fraud;’ ‘APGA be careful with Soludo,’ and others.

The National Coordinator of ARM, Gabriel Uguru and Publicity Secretary, Goodness Chioma, said the people of Anambra State could not risk having Soludo as their governor without accounting for his deeds as CBN governor.

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But when contacted, the Convener of Soludo Media Group, Pauly Onyeka said the protesters were political thugs hired by opponents.

Onyeka said, “Since the emergence of Soludo as APGA candidate, serious unease and charged atmosphere have enveloped all the opponents’ camps for the simple reason that Daniel is out for judgment.

“He empowered hundreds of thousands of our youth especially during his headship of NEEDS. In all these exploits, he has never been found wanting despite the banana peels along his professional route. Branding one a fraudster to gain a mere political advantage does not make him one.”