By Judith Ofor
There is a new vista in Anambra State politics where the people and the communities have put it upon themselves to sponsor the re-election campaign of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo,CFR. The norm had been for incumbents to dip their hands into the state coffers to run their campaigns, but Soludo happens to be the exception to that rule. The people of the state and the diverse communities are putting up the funds for Soludo.
This is a breath of fresh air to electioneering in these shores. It was only in the United States of America that we used to see people donating to the campaigns of their choice candidates. The uncommon love of Anambra people for Governor Soludo has elicited this new chapter of the people sponsoring the governor’s campaign.
What is most astonishing is that the people and the communities are doing this without even the asking of Governor Soludo. The incredible work all over the state that Soludo had done is the main reason why all the communities are putting up money for him to continue the good work. A grateful Governor Soludo in his tour of the many towns and villages is always greeted by people pledging money to back his campaign.
His opponents can hardly believe what is happening before their very eyes when they are borrowing money to fund their ill-fated campaigns. While Soludo enjoys the love of the people of Anambra State, some of his opponents are being tackled by umpteen creditors to give them back their money. It is indeed a case of different strokes for different folks and blokes.
The Soludo mystique is such that even if money is donated to him, he would not bend the rules for the community. Take the case of Oba town in Idemili South Local Government Area that donated N50 million to the Soludo campaign. The youths of the town then knelt down to beg Governor Soludo to pardon their son, the native doctor known as Akwa-Okuko-Tiwara-Aki who is in custody. Soludo replied them that he is not a man who would suborn the due process. He told the Oba youths to wait for all the processes of the law to be observed so that there would be no abridgment of justice. The people understood that the governor is not a leader given to cheap platitudes, not one who would bow the knee to doing wrong to satisfy a minion.
Just as Governor Soludo has not borrowed any money at all in doing the tremendous work he has done in his first tenure, it is now obvious that he would not spend a dime of the state’s money in running his campaign for re-election. It is there for all to see that the people and the communities of Anambra State have taken it upon themselves to fund his campaign. He happens to be a charismatic leader who the people are sponsoring through their freewill.
No day passes without one community or support group donating money to the Soludo campaign. What was even more encouraging was that it all started when the students of Anambra State donated N3 million for Soludo to purchase he nomination form. The three Senatorial Zones of Anambra State have equally supported the campaign with their funds. The Anambra Central Senatorial Zone kicked it off with the donation of N50 Million. The Anambra North Senatorial Zone refused to be outdone by donating N70 Million. To cap it all up, the Anambra South Senatorial Zone where Governor Soludo hails from donated N100 Million.
The dawn of people-funded campaign is here through the fulfilling work that Soludo has done in Anambra State in less than four years. The reward for good work is more work, and the people of Anambra State are very willing and prepared to pay Governor Soludo to continue doing his sterling work which has been acknowledged with triple awards in New York, USA.
With the people backing Soludo this way, it is obvious that the November 8 gubernatorial election in Anambra State is a no-contest between the working governor and some ill-assorted miscellaneous opponents. When the people are paying for Governor Soludo to be re-elected, how can any so-called opponent buy their votes?
It is Soludo all the way, with the people of Anambra paying their dues to get him re-elected.
Dr Ofor is an Awka-based public affairs analyst.
