*Says no fanfare, no public expenditure and 8hrs of work on day of his swearing-in
From Peter Anyafulu, Awka
The Anambra State Governor-elect, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has declared that in order to promote local brands, his official vehicle as governor will be locally manufactured by the Innoson Vehicle Motors (IVM).
Soludo who visited members of the Inauguration Committee stated so while addressing them.
Soludo said it was not a coincidence that he has been wearing local fabrics known as Akwete, but emphasised that it was intentional to support local brands, to make a statement with it.
He said: “My Akwete dress is not just a dress, it’s a statement. I want to make a statement with it.
“You know, in the entire South-East, this is the only textile alive, and it’s handmade, by the women of Akwaete in Abia State.
“Igboland is one and we must protect it. We want to bring back the zeal of patronizing our own.
“I have said it even during campaigns, and I meant it, that if I win, the official car of the governor of Anambra State will be Innoson vehicle.
“The dresses I will wear are those made in our place here.
“We must protect the things that are made in our place. Something is about to happen in Igboland, and together we will get there.”
On his swearing-in, Soludo said there will be no ceremony to mark his swearing-in, just as not a Kobo would be spent on it.
“He said the day was simply his first day at work, and even though it is a weekend, he would spend eight hours of the day working.
“I have made a wish that not even one Kobo of Anambra people’s money be spent on that swearing-in ceremony.
“It is a wish, and I mean it. What are we spending money on? Just a few people coming to the inauguration and witnessing it, then I will open office and get down to work immediately.
“I do not wish any event, dancers or players and all that. I just want to show up for work, like every first day of work.
“Though it is going to be a Friday, which is a weekend, I’m going to work for over eight hours that day.
“No ceremony, no event, no party, nothing. Not even 10 Kobo will be spent.
“So the people who are saying N20 million has been budgeted should go and tell us where they will get that money.
“It is going to be work, work, work, and that is what we epitomize.”
