By || Goodluck E. Adubazi || Abuja
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra State has come under renewed international scrutiny as a United States–based organization, The Rising Sun Foundation, threatened to initiate steps to have him declared persona non grata over the continued blockade of Onitsha’s commercial district.
In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday, the foundation, working alongside the Global Coalition for Biafra Restoration, accused the Anambra governor of betraying the Igbo people and undermining democratic norms through what it described as an “unjust and provocative” shutdown of major economic activities in Onitsha.
The statement was signed by Dr. Maxwell Dede, who represents The Rising Sun Foundation in the United States. The group described the blockade as “tyrannical” and a “flagrant betrayal” of commitments allegedly made by Soludo four years ago to support a broad-based dialogue on the future of the Igbo people within or outside the Nigerian federation.
“Governor Soludo stands accused of a profound and treacherous betrayal,” the foundation said. “Four years ago, he courted the support of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the aspirations of millions, publicly pledging to facilitate a grand dialogue for the Igbo people. Today, he is accused of persecuting the same people and ideals that helped propel him to power.”
The organization further criticized the governor’s alleged deployment of predominantly non-Igbo security personnel to enforce the blockade, describing the action as undemocratic and heavy-handed.
According to the group, the crisis in Onitsha did not stem from disobedience by traders but from “gubernatorial failure and dictatorial impulse.”
“The governor is strangling the economic lifeblood of the people he swore to serve and destabilizing the fragile peace he claims to protect,” the statement added.
The Rising Sun Foundation also faulted Soludo for what it described as his silence or “comfort” regarding the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, by the Federal Government, characterizing the governor as “a politician of convenience rather than conviction.”
The group issued a stern warning that any harm to peaceful protesters or traders would be viewed as an attack on the fundamental rights of the Igbo people, adding that the Anambra State Government would be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order.
“We are a peaceful people, but we say no more killings,” the statement read. “The era of Igbo governors colluding to spill the blood of Igbo youths is over. We will not stand by and watch history repeat itself.”
As part of its next steps, the foundation announced plans to pursue international measures aimed at declaring Governor Soludo persona non grata, citing alleged violations of democratic principles and economic rights. It warned that such actions could affect the governor’s standing and acceptance on the global stage.
The group called on international observers, human rights organizations, and the Federal Government of Nigeria to intervene, insisting that the blockade of Onitsha must be lifted immediately.
“The path to peace in the South-East lies in justice, dialogue, and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, not in military barricades and economic suffocation,” the statement concluded.
In a direct message to the governor, the group warned, “Governor Soludo.
