Ahead of the coming November 8, 2025, Anambra State Governorship election, a High Chief of the Nri ancient kingdom, Anaocha local government area, Barr. Chukwudi Oli (Oba Ezeafia Na Nri) has begun a deft move to mobilize the indigenes, other residents of the kingdom to endorse the state governor, Prof. Soludo’s re-election bid.
Oba Ezeafia, a great philanthropist in Nri kingdom is incidentally one of the principal lawyers to the state billionaire oil magnate, Prince Arthur Eze who had already thrown his weight behind Soludo’s re-election.
Apparently, following the footsteps of Arthur Eze, Oba Ezeafia told newsmen that he has concluded arrangements for a grand reception of Soludo in Nri kingdom and for the people to publicly declare their support unequivocally and publicly for his re-election.
Interestingly, the deputy governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Uche Ekwunife hails from Nri community.
Some political observers told this reporter that the turnout of Nri people at tomorrow’s Soludo reception in the community is expected to serve as a litmus test of Oba Ezeafia’s electoral value in the ancient kingdom.
A close associate of the Nri High Chief, Chief Ogochukwu Egolum, however told newsmen, ” Oba Ezeafia is deploying huge assets to mobilize the people of Nri and non-natives to give Soludo organic endorsement for his re-election.”
He said, ” Everyone knows that Oba Ezeafia is a great and respected philanthropist in ancient Nri kingdom. He built roads, houses for widows, disbursed start up funds to several youths, have been funding Nri Onwa Agwu festival for several years and many other such gestures. But he has never gotten involved in politics.
” Oba Ezeafia has however decided to get involved in politics. He has realized that political platforms give one more opportunities to touch more lives and attract developments instead of relying on one’s personal income as he has been doing all these years.”
Chief Egolum cited for instance, that Barr. Chukwudi Oli was very excited when he heard that Governor Soludo recently awarded contract for the construction of the popular Agbanabo road in Nri, a road which every past government has not given attention despite its strategic importance to socio-economic development of the area.
Egolum said that already heads of the various villages, women groups, youths, non-natives, age grades, cultural groups have adequately been mobilized by a Committee set-up and funded by Ezeafia to plan and organize the reception of the Governor.
He stated further that Ezeafia who lives outside the community has already returned to make sure nothing was left undone for the planned grand reception of the Governor.
