From Soludo’s Clampdown in Anambra to Mbah’s Burden in Enugu: A Warning the People Must Not Ignore

The events that unfolded in Anambra State following Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s consolidation of power have continued to reverberate beyond its borders. When the Onitsha Main Market, acknowledged as the largest market in West Africa, was shut down because traders chose to stay at home on Mondays in protest over the continued incarceration of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, it sent a chilling message across the South East. Economic activity was sacrificed on the altar of political intolerance. Traders were punished not for crime, but for dissent. Many who watched from neighbouring states, especially Enugu, did so with disbelief, having remembered the conciliatory language Soludo used while campaigning. That moment marked a shift, from persuasion to coercion, from promises to penalties.

For many in Enugu State today, that episode is no longer just an Anambra story; it is a cautionary tale. The concern is not merely about what Soludo did, but about what unchecked second-term power can produce when leaders feel insulated from electoral consequences. This fear has grown as Governor Peter Mbah’s policies increasingly collide with the daily realities of ordinary people.

Since the introduction and aggressive enforcement of Enugu State’s tax regime, life has become markedly harder for traders, civil servants, artisans, transport workers and landlords alike. While the government insists it is merely expanding the tax base, the practical experience of residents suggests something far more severe. Incomes have not risen, yet levies multiply. Shop owners report paying several layers of charges to different agencies. Rent has skyrocketed, partly because landlords now pass heavy property-related taxes down to tenants. Civil servants complain that after deductions and indirect taxes, their take-home pay can no longer sustain basic living expenses.

This hardship is not theoretical. It is seen in empty shops, struggling families, delayed medical care and rising informal debt. Hospitals that once served as places of relief are now avoided by many because costs have become prohibitive. People speak openly of choosing between treatment and survival. A society where citizens avoid hospitals out of fear of bills is not progressing; it is retreating.

The situation worsened with the demolition of major markets across Enugu State. Traders were promised modernization, better facilities, and improved livelihoods. What followed, however, was displacement, uncertainty and prolonged suffering. Many traders were rendered economically idle, some permanently. Stories of illness, depression and even death linked to sudden loss of livelihood continue to circulate, not as propaganda, but as personal testimonies from families affected. The trust deficit widened.

Governor Mbah’s handling of the minimum wage further strained relations with the workforce. While the administration announced full implementation, many civil servants insist the reality was selective. A good number received payments that did not reflect the approved minimum wage, yet the government publicly claimed full compliance. This disconnect between official statements and practical experience deepened public cynicism.

One of the most symbolic failures remains pipe-borne water. It was one of the governor’s flagship campaign promises, yet residents across Enugu still struggle daily for water. In urban centres and rural communities alike, families buy water at high cost while paying multiple taxes to a government that promised basic services. The contradiction is glaring.

Even new revenue ventures, such as coal mining initiated under the current administration, have not translated into relief for the people. Taxes remain high, levies persistent and welfare stagnant. The question many ask is simple: where is the money going and why is the pressure only on the people?

When the government recently announced a 60 percent reduction in land-use charges and the abolition of Ogbanecheagu, the move was greeted with cautious optimism. But that optimism quickly faded. On the ground, residents report that the same actors continue to operate under different guises, still collecting illegal building and land charges. What was presented as reform increasingly looks political—timed to soften public anger ahead of 2027 rather than to deliver justice.

This perception is reinforced by the governor’s sudden accessibility. Commissioners, special advisers and stakeholders who once complained of being shut out now speak of easier access. Town hall engagements and consultations have increased. While engagement is welcome, the timing raises questions. For much of the tenure, governance was distant, communicated through television rather than dialogue. Now, with another election approaching, doors are opening.

Many who rallied around Governor Mbah in 2023—party faithful, stakeholders, and community leaders—feel betrayed. The PDP platform that brought him to power appears strained, with reports of political manoeuvring and alliances driven by desperation rather than ideology. Accusations of undermining opponents and spreading misinformation to gain access to rival political structures further erode confidence.

This is where the Soludo comparison becomes most instructive. In Anambra, once electoral pressure disappeared, governance hardened. Dissent was met with force, not dialogue. Economic punishment replaced engagement. Many Enugu residents fear that what they are experiencing now, tax pressure, limited empathy, cosmetic reforms, may only be a fraction of what could come if power is consolidated further. The lesson from Anambra is not abstract. It is practical. When leaders feel secure, the cost of policy mistakes is borne by the people. Markets close. Taxes rise. Voices are ignored. And regret comes too late.

Enugu stands at a crossroads. The question is no longer about campaign promises or media narratives, but about practical outcomes. Governance must be judged not by announcements, but by how people live, eat, heal, and hope. The experience elsewhere has shown that second terms without accountability often deepen hardship.

History, they say, does not repeat itself, but it warns. Enugu must decide whether to heed that warning.

-Nwobodo Chinonso Emmanuel