By Emeka Ozumba
Never in the history of contest for the office of the governor of Anambra State has the coast to the coveted trophy been very clear for one man to coast home. Mr. Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, marked three years in office on March 17, 2025, and has every reason to dance before the mirror even before the whistle for the second term campaign is blown. It is public knowledge that it took multiple court cases instituted across Nigeria up to the fringes of Birnin-Kudu, Jigawa State for him to heave a sigh of relief the last time out with the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ticket. This time around, APGA, a significant political force in Anambra, is enjoying a new lease of stability having sorted the crisis of national leadership that distracted it over the years. Thanks to the Supreme Court, the party can now sing with one voice.
Secondly, opposition political parties in Anambra State have never been this fractured: The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is non-existent while the All Progressives Congress (APC) is merely huffing and puffing about reigning supreme in Abuja whilst the party is literally lost in translation amongst the Anambra electorate. Apart from these two parties showing smattering of visibility in the media, others in the opposition are non-existent. Hence it is safe to say that stopping Soludo’s quest for a second term is mission impossible, unless God intervenes.
The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has set Novermber 8, 2025 as the date for Gubernatorial Elections in Anambra State. A quick scan of the Anambra political landscape attests to the fact that the “no room for any opposition” assumption is spot-on and rightly so. First, governance is measured in terms of achievements and fulfillment of the Manifesto. After three years of Prof Soludo a cross sample of opinion is that that he is “meeting the expectations of Ndi Anambra” with his super-structure approach to infrastructural development of the state. Without doubt Soludo has sustained the tradition of excellence of his predecessors, especially those of APGA, which started with the foundation laid by Chief Peter Obi, and the grand vision of the sub-structure of development by Chief Willie Obiano (Akpokuedike).
On March 17, 2022, Soludo took off with resounding ideas and bold visions of Africa-Dubai-Taiwan (ADT) which created high expectations. However, his show-and-tell across Anambra today is dousing initial fears of achieving his promise of a liveable and prosperous homeland for Ndi Anambra. It has taken Okpoko urban rejuvenation project where environmental clean-up, a general hospital and new road infrastructure have brought a new lease of life to the people to drive home the message.
Soludo underscored the strategic importance of roads when he confirmed the award of 750 kilometres of roads so far with 420 completed at the rate of 12 kilometres per month. In
education, with free education for all public primary and secondary schools, Anambra leads recording the lowest out-of-school children rate in Nigeria – 2.9% according to UNESCO.
Mr. Governor also wants Anambra to become a destination of choice, accessible from point-to-point with new investments guaranteed. Conscious that the realisation requires the right mix of work and leisure, Soludo conceived The Solution Fun City, adjacent to Awka Mini Stadium built by former Governor Obiano. The leisure meeting point of sorts for Ndi Anambra of all ages is a sprawling, multi-purpose entertainment centre sitting on 27 acres of land in the heart of Awka. It houses a Country Club for the elite, a Games village for parents and their children, three cinemas, games rooms, swimming pools, a rollercoaster, and playgrounds.
On another axis of the 3-Arms Zone Awka, a new Government House is in place after 34 years. The complex houses a government house, the state secretariat, Governor’s lodge, Deputy Governor’s complex, a Presidential Lodge, State House Hospital, a 1,000-seater Banquet Hall, and a 1,000-seater Amphitheatre, and 28 other buildings.
Conversely, whilst Soludo’s giant strides in infrastructure was percolating, a “lucrative criminality adorned with deceptive ideology and propaganda,” was taking foothold with disastrous consequences to Ndi Anambra in terms of loss of lives and properties thus giving the opposition seeming perfect chink in Soludo’s armour. However, the January 18, 2025 unveiling of the Anambra State Homeland Security Law and the launch of Special Security Operation, Udo Ga-Achi” with “Agunechemba” new Vigilante architecture as fulcrum of the strike force, the marauding criminal gangs have been rooted out from Anambra shores. The current concern, judging from words on the streets, is ensuring sustainability of the new found peace.
Based on the scorecard so far, the dominant mantra across the Anambra political spectrum is that there is no contest for second term. Therefore, it behoves on Soludo as he savours the ensuing endorsements to ensure that potential banana peels are properly thrashed to avoid spoilers. Chief amongst issues he should not ignore is the restive youth segment. Have they been adequately engaged under the 1-Youth 2-Skills Programme? There are murmurs that the figures quoted do not represent the facts on ground. Hence the need to tighten the screws through adequate monitoring by blocking the leakages amongst potential and reported beneficiaries. After all, the youths are in the vanguard of those who lead the charge at the polls.
Another thorny but oft neglected concern is the subsisting lack of harmony, unity of purpose and commitment among APGA faithful. Over the years, APGA had grown organically with the “Onye Aghana Nwanneya” motto implanted in the DNA of most Ndi Anambra – such that the party approaches every election with an unshakable air of triumph. Currently, there appears to be a half-hearted push to consolidate on the new found stability from the national to the state and ward levels. The much anticipated cooperative society approach to party funding at the grassroots is yet to materialize and until recently organization of local meetings remained haphazard. The stage has been dominated by motley groups of individually funded political support groups who gave APGA visibility and boosting members’ morale with the APGA Apostles Forum at the forefront. In fact, most party functions at the state level still lack the zest, the surefootedness and unity of purpose associated with APGA faithful adorned in their uniforms that cast fears in the heart of the opposition. Why does it seem that APGA uniform is unavailable even at subsidized rate?
Again simmering beneath the surface is the non-payment of severance packages to former political appointees. For the records, this is the remit of the predecessor of Mr. Governor, which he didn’t pay for inexplicable reasons. But haven intervened during a meeting on November 17, 2023 and promised to consider the payment alongside other financial commitments, it is important that Soludo revisits the matter. He should not be deterred by few irritants who sought to politicise the issue to their advantage. Since the core of potential beneficiaries are still active in APGA with embedded dependent voting structures across the 179 communities of Anambra, it would be to Soludo’s eternal benefit to sort out this silent majority and rest assured of the already dedicated voting block.
All told, every true “onye APGA” and aspiring members are very much aware of the prevailing mood and the single-minded disposition with which the party approaches every election. It is in the interest of Mr Governor as the leader to rekindle and sustain that oneness and momentum as November 8, 2025 approaches. Apart from Soludo’s widely acknowledged stellar record so far, fixing these minor bolt and nuts will assure a mission impossible for the bewildered opposition, thus ensuring a resounding second term victory.
*Ozumba is Managing Consultant of Ozion Limited, political communications strategists.
