By Uche Nworah Ph.D
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, had during the commissioning of the office of the party in Awka, Anambra state in February 2025 floated an idea for members of the party to chew on.
Perhaps impressed by the caliber of aspirants jostling for the party’s ticket for the November 2025 Anambra gubernatorial elections, the Chairman requested the aspirants and the party to consider producing a consensus candidate.
The suggestion may be a good one but it is easier said than done. There are benefits to the party if it decides to adopt a consensus candidate. It will lead to less pre and post-election rancour, cost the aspirants less money, lead to unity, and prevent political implosion which is usually experienced by the party in the past.
Usually after each primary election cycle, the tendency has always been for aspirants not favoured to abandon the party when it matters most and allow the party’s candidate to execute the electoral campaign solely.
Many have argued however that the idea of a consensus candidate is anti-democratic. The more the merrier they argue.
Well, almost one month to the APC primaries in Anambra state scheduled to be held in April 2025, feelers from the different political camps don’t suggest that any of such conversations are taking place. Rather, all the six leading contenders have purchased the gubernatorial nomination forms signaling strong intentions to go the whole hog.
With the array and quality of APC gubernatorial aspirants for the Anambra gubernatorial elections, it appears that APC has suddenly become a beautiful bride in Anambra politics. This was not the case in the past.
Many aspirants had expressed interest in flying the party’s flag. However, only these 6 aspirants have paid the N50M fees for the party’s nomination forms.
Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, popularly known as Ikukuoma is a businessman and former member of the House of Representatives. Funding the campaign won’t be a challenge for him. Prince Ukachukwi could be said to be a veteran of Anambra politics. He comes from Osumenyi in the Anambra South senatorial zone. If zoning will play a role, then he is in business. Age is also on his side. He was once heavily influential within APGA and still has sympathizers within the party. Should he emerge, these sympathizers who may feel that the party has not treated him fairly may choose to go with him.
Engineer John Bosco Onunkwo has a strong youth following. The challenge though is that from experience, the youth population is not as committed on voting day as the elderly population. Engineer Onunkwo, a professional working in the oil sector, has a vibrant social media following and has friends across the divide. His traditional title is Akaekpuchionwa in his native Umuchu in Anambra South senatorial zone. He is favoured by the zoning principle if it will stand. This will be his 3rd attempt. He has been a loyal APC party man and this may count for him.
Hon. Valentine Ozigbo is the immediate past President and Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria plc (Transcorp), before leaving to pursue a career in politics. His journey has taken him from the PDP to Labour Party and currently to APC. He recently decamped from the Labour Party and was the candidate of the PDP the last time out. He is from Amesi in the Anambra South senatorial zone. He cuts the image of a good guy in politics but the worry is if his clean-cut image will withstand the treacherous and murky waters of Anambra gubernatorial politics. Hon. Ozigbo may have to contend with forces within the party who view him as an outsider. Young people like him and his brand of politics without bitterness. His chances will be increased if he can find ‘Obidient’ movement supporters within the party.
Sir Paul Chukwuma is a businessman and comes from Umueri in the Anambra North Senatorial zone. He argues that zoning is an invention of APGA in the state. Sir Chukwuma is an experienced campaigner having served as the Director General of Senator Andy Uba’s campaign the last time out. The ex-seminarian may gain easy inroad into the catholic church who are major influencers in Anambra’s elections if he gets the ticket. Time will tell. Having played the role of kingmaker severally in the past, perhaps he will feel that his time has come but he has to scale the APC primaries hurdles first.
Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji, popularly known as Oba Aguata is brother to Dame Adaora Umeoji, Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank. He is currently Executive Director of Corporate Services at the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC). Hon. Umeoji is a grounded politician having served as local government chairman and as a member of the Federal House of Representatives. He comes from Anambra South Senatorial district. Hon. Umeoji was a serious contender in 2021 and nearly snatched APGA’s gubernatorial ticket from the incumbent Governor Soludo. It was widely believed then that he was the preferred choice by the wife of former Governor Obiano. For a long time, Hon. Umeoji spearheaded the rival APGA structure and has sleeper cells of supporters within the main APGA that he could easily activate if he gets the APC ticket. It is widely believed that he would have access to a huge war chest if he wins the APC ticket.
Billionaire businessman and Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Professor Obiora Okonkwo took many by surprise with his defection to APC. In the past, he contested for the Anambra Central Senatorial position under PDP. He switched to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and flew their flag in the 2021 gubernatorial election which brought in the incumbent. Popularly known as Dikeora Idemili, Professor Okonkwo comes from Ogidi in the Anambra Central Senatorial zone. His bid, just like that of Sir Paul Chukwuma could be described as swimming against the tide. Not favoured by the zoning arrangement which both have argued does not exist. Prof. Okonkwo appears to have gained a lot of ground already in the party despite being a late entrant.
APC members have expressed happiness that these political heavyweights are battling it out for the party’s gubernatorial ticket. Emeka Obi, from Nawfia in Njikoka local government area, believes that ‘the more the merrier’.
Prince Donatus Okonwko, a native of Ojoto in Idemili South LGA however believes that the aspirants should have a roundtable discussion. “If they don’t it would make the primary election very expensive for all the aspirants. These are resources that should be used to execute the main election against a sitting governor”.
A woman political activist, Uzoamaka Ndefo however feels differently. “We will see what happens after the primaries. Will those who lose out still stay and support the emergent candidate, or will they toe the same path as others in the past, abandon ship, and collect money from the sitting governor”? she asks.
For APC in Anambra, the eventual winner of the party’s ticket may not necessarily be decided at the primaries. Abuja will make the call just like in other states. From insider information, the aspirants have been busy oiling their political machinery in Abuja hoping that their name will be the one decided.
On a general note, to echo the feelings of some APC members, party officials should endeavor to provide a level playing field for all the aspirants to avoid the situation the party experienced during the last gubernatorial primaries in the state. APC had declared Senator Andy Uba the winner of the gubernatorial primaries but a former member of the party, Chief George Moghalu, who has since defected to the Labour Party challenged the results and pursued the matter up to the Supreme Court. The court ruled that there was no APC primary election in Anambra state.
There are no indications yet on the model the party will adopt in conducting the primaries. The choice is between direct and indirect primaries. Many have spoken highly in favour of direct primaries which are less prone to manipulation.
While the aspirants are focusing on crossing the hurdles of the primaries, they should also keep an eye on the main elections which seem to be a clear 3-horse race between APGA, APC, and the Labour party, apologies to all the other registered political parties. Unseating an incumbent is always a tricky one but it can be done and has been done.
A report published by Kevin Dano, Francesco Ferlenga, Vincenzo Galasso, Caroline LePennec, Vincent Pons, and Vestal McIntyre (Feb 2023) in cepr.org titled ‘Incumbents have the upper hand in elections – coordination failures give them a further advantage’, the authors concluded that Incumbents might have more resources and run better campaigns.
“Coordination gives incumbents a leg up, and perhaps be more proactive in communicating about when to bow out of a contest for the good of the party’s ideals”, they argued.
However, they noted that voters supporting challengers in multi-party systems may face the choice to vote with their heart or with their head. “They should be aware that the incumbent has a hidden advantage, and that it can be overcome through coordination”, they concluded.
Will the main opposition political parties in Anambra state coordinate themselves to wrestle power from Governor Charles Soludo? Only time will tell.
