EDITORIAL: Soludo’s Victory: A Mandate to Sustain Anambra’s Growth and Deepen Humanity

By Tony Okafor

Without prejudice, more than 70 percent of Ndi Anambra knew how the November 8 governorship election would end long before the first ballot was cast.

The outcome did not spring from luck or political maneuvering—it was a direct result of the visible trajectory of development already unfolding across the state under Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo.

Governor Soludo’s re-election is, therefore, not just a personal triumph but a resounding validation of the people’s confidence in progress, prudence, and purposeful leadership.

Ndi Anambra have spoken loudly and clearly: continue the good work. From roads to schools, from digital innovation to rural revitalization, Soludo has rekindled a sense of direction and renewed hope in governance.

However, as he basks in the glow of this well-deserved victory, the governor must not lose sight of murmurs in certain quarters—fears that his second term might bring a heavy yoke of taxation, excessive enforcement by Ndi Aka Ọdọ, or other inhumane acts that could suffocate the very people who renewed his mandate.

There is absolutely no need for such. The people have demonstrated uncommon love and faith through their votes; what they deserve in return is comfort, empathy, and inclusion.

Governor Soludo must prove his critics wrong—not through rhetoric, but through daily acts of compassion and fairness. Let the policies of his second term reflect his humble beginnings, his famed intellectual discipline, and his declared commitment to building a prosperous homeland.

He must ensure that his administration remains a government with a human face—where justice tempers power and development wears the smile of humanity.

This victory also offers a rare opportunity to deepen reforms in public service, consolidate the gains in infrastructure, and translate the Anambra Smart Megacity vision from blueprint to everyday reality. The governor must strengthen local government administration, expand civic space for youth participation, and foster a culture of transparent governance that leaves no room for the shadowy dealings of old politics.

The re-election of Professor Soludo is both an endorsement and a warning: Ndi Anambra have placed their hopes in him once again, but they will not hesitate to withdraw that trust if arrogance, isolation, or insensitivity creep in. Power, after all, is transient—but legacy endures.

Let Soludo, therefore, govern with grace—with listening ears and compassionate hands. Let him continue to be the professor who teaches not from the chalkboard of economics but from the living classroom of good governance.

As he rightly noted in his post-election speech, he should extend hands of fellowship to his co-contestants and other stakeholders in the state, in the true spirit of no victor, no vanquished.

This is not the time to boast about defeating anyone in their own strongholds during the polls. It is a time to stay focused and avoid unnecessary distractions. Some threats made in the heat of passion during the electioneering period should now be withdrawn, as they serve no purpose in building a progressive Anambra State.

Anambra has made her choice. Now, real history beckons.