What began as a routine diaspora engagement by Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, in London on April 6 quickly turned into a moment of controversy after the governor told a participant to “shut up” during a question-and-answer session, triggering reactions among attendees and setting off a wider public debate.
The town hall, organised for the Anambra diaspora community, was designed to update indigenes on the administration’s achievements and ongoing projects, while also providing a platform for direct engagement with citizens abroad.
Flanked by his wife, daughter, and aides, Governor Soludo initially appeared relaxed as he addressed the audience. But the atmosphere shifted during the question-and-answer segment when an attendee identified as Engineer Chinedu Ogidi raised two issues that appeared to unsettle the engagement.
Ogidi first questioned the rationale behind establishing a local security outfit, ‘Udo Ga Chi’, without integrating a technology-driven system, arguing that such a framework could help speed up the tracking and arrest of criminals in the state.
He also sought clarity on the proposed 10,000 housing scheme reportedly announced by the state’s Commissioner for Housing, Paully Onyeka, in December 2025 for civil servants, stressing its potential impact on job creation.
The exchange took a tense turn when the governor pushed back on the housing reference.
“Don’t even waste our time, I didn’t say so. I do not know who…,” Soludo said, dismissing the claim, which Ogidi insisted had been reported by leading media outlets in Nigeria.
“I said, I saw it in Punch,” Ogidi responded, attempting to continue his point.
But the governor cut him short: “I am just telling you, what you said is fake news.”
The situation escalated further when Soludo instructed his aides to retrieve the microphone from Ogidi without fully addressing all his questions.
“Part of the discipline is that you have to play by the rules. We have finished the questions, I just obliged you. You do not have to give a lecture, you just ask your question and shut up!” the governor said.
What followed, according to attendees who spoke with TOPHEADLINES, marked a visible shift in the tone of the meeting.
Eyewitness Account
After a brief cultural display interlude, the programme appeared to proceed to its next segment, according to a YouTube livestream of the event in circulation.
However, several attendees later claimed that tensions inside the hall escalated, leading to an altercation.
A participant and activist, Dr Chindo A.A., posted a video on Facebook alleging that he was manhandled and escorted out of the venue by security aides after he demanded that the governor apologise to Ogidi for his remarks.
Another attendee, Bernard Odimma, a UK-based participant, corroborated aspects of that account in an interview with TOPHEADLINES, describing what he witnessed as deeply troubling.
He said the governor’s conduct reflected what he called a “serious character deficit that shows up all the time,” and described the remarks directed at Ogidi as “humiliating.”
“I must say that what I noticed during the question-and-answer session was that many of those asking questions appeared to have been preselected, as they asked largely favourable questions.
“It continued that way until this gentleman, who was sitting beside me, asked what I consider very reasonable questions. From that moment, it was clear the governor was not pleased.
“Then suddenly, the governor said, ‘Let me stop you there. You are wasting our time. Can you just shut up and sit down?’ That was arrogant, rude, and uncalled for,” he said.
Odimma further alleged that some aides of the governor made additional derogatory remarks towards Ogidi, which he said provoked reactions from other attendees.
He added that tensions heightened when Dr Chindo demanded an apology from the governor, an action he claimed led to the activist being forcibly removed.
“I think whoever manages Soludo needs to tell him the truth. He is very arrogant. He also needs to learn how to engage with people, especially in advanced countries like the UK.
“I would advise him to think carefully before hosting another town hall meeting in Europe or America, as it may be difficult to manage ‘the bad guys’ in such settings,” he said.
Government Response
In the days following the event, the incident has continued to generate reactions across media platforms, drawing both criticism and defence from supporters and opponents of the administration.
The Anambra State Government, in a statement obtained by TOPHEADLINES, responded by focusing on Dr Chindo, whose video of the incident has gained traction online.
The government described him as one who “parades a platform called ‘Hungry and Angry Analytical’ and proceeds to offer analyses that are neither enlightening nor accurate, but merely ‘hungry and angry’ ranting.”
It accused him of making a “cottage industry out of confrontational attacks” on the governor.
“His latest salvo, targeting the Governor’s recent visit to London for a diaspora civic town hall meeting, is perhaps his most hollow and irresponsible yet. It is not an innocuous critique. It is political mischief dressed up as civic concern,” the statement read.
The government maintained that citizen engagement remains central to Soludo’s governing philosophy, describing such interactions as a key component of its outreach across the United Kingdom, the United States, Abuja, and Lagos.
“These interactions, however quiet and unglamorous, are among the surest foundations of transparent governance. Ultimately, Ndi Anambra, at home and abroad, know the difference between a leader who shows up and a commentator who always rants,” the statement added.