How APC can win Anambra in November|Rapheal
The road to the November governorship election in Anambra state begins effectively for the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Saturday, April 5. On this date, the party’s national leaders will be in Anambra to see through the process of picking a candidate to challenge Governors Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Whatever decision APC makes on Saturday will determine if it actually intends to wrest the governorship from Soludo, or, merely, wants to escort him into a second term. It is the decision of the party. However, APC followers in Anambra will like to see their party make a huge impact in the election, and, unseat Soludo. Unseating Soludo will either be tough or easy depending largely on the outcome of Saturday’s primary election.
APC has seven contenders for its ticket. They are Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu, Chief Johnbosco Onunkwo, Chief Chukwuma Umeoji, Sir Paul Chukwuma, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo and Chief Edozie Madu. One of these will pick the party’s ticket no doubt but, like I said, it will depend on what APC would like to achieve in November.
Of these seven names, five are from Anambra south –Umeoji, Ozigbo, Madu, Onunkwo and Ukachukwu. One is from Anambra north –Chukwuma and one is from Anambra central –Okonkwo. A strategically intended political party, which wants to unseat the incumbent, will take note of this reality and work with it in leading its delegates or voters towards a most favourable outcome. Like these five, Soludo is also from Anambra South. A decision to fly the APC flag against him, with a candidate from his own zone, will be a song of gratitude to Soludo. He will celebrate it for several reasons, principal among which is that Anambra Central and Anambra North would rather that Soludo gets a second term than risk a new person. A new face from the same zone will not sign-off after one term. He will take a second jab. That will mean deferring the opportunity for Anambra North and Anambra Central. Both zones are not likely to apply themselves to this situation.
On the other hand, going Anambra north will not serve the interest of equity for Anambra people. Soludo succeeded Anambra North. His predecessor, Willie Obiano, is from Anambra north. It is, therefore, not conceivable that APC will take its governorship ticket to Anambra north. Doing so will most likely elicit a protest which the party may not recover from. It will also work in favour of Soludo because it will fit into his plans to have a candidate that does not command mass followership with grassroot and institutional support. He will sing and dance.
In this regard, APC will place a better bet with its ticket in Anambra central. It has several reasons to do so. Anambra Central has one aspirant in the race –Okonkwo. Votes from Anambra Central have always proven strategic in deciding the winner of elections in the state. Anambra Central is also a zone where the Action Congress (AC) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), predecessors to the APC, previously enjoyed significant influence. It is more like its stronghold in the state. For APC therefore, going Anambra Central will be home coming and also a reward to people of the zone for standing firm with it through Dr. Chris Ngige. Okonkwo’s past involvement in helping AC and ACN secure electoral victories in the region has also resonated very well with party leaders. This gives him a geographical and historical edge over other aspirants.
With Okonkwo, APC will look forward to a bloc vote against Soludo –something that he gives him sleepless nights and restless days. Picking the ticket will send a very strong message to Anambra people about the seriousness of APC to connect the state to the national grid and end the over 16 years of solo run with APGA which has alienated Anambra’s influence in national politics. With Okonkwo, APC would have made a statement. This is because Okonkwo is a very strong contender for the ticket. He is feared by APGA because of the strength and power of his vision and messages. The Soludo team fear to engage him because of his support base which spans the grassroots, traders, community leaders, professionals, non-professionals, artisans and the church.
The Okonkwo appeal is not about sloganeering, which other aspirants are noted for. His is about the power and strength of his transformative vision for Anambra state. These are visions that derive from a deeper understanding of the management of human resources, the incubation and nurturing of businesses and his statewide appeal to diverse groups of people as a politician with the capacity, the competence and the character to lead Anambra into a new era of massive development. As the founder of United Nigeria Airlines among other businesses, Okonkwo has carved a niche as a successful businessman with practical leadership experience. This practical leadership experience makes him more preferred to the incumbent governor, Soludo, as a “professor of practicals” rather than a “professor of theories.” Majority of Anambra people, look forward to tangible deliverables not academic promises. This is more so as the state is entangled in a wave of insecurity which has blighted its economic progression.
For instance, a peep into his programme of action for the infrastructural transformation of Anambra state include a new master plan for transforming flood-prone areas of the state into new loveable cities. “If annual over flooding of the bar beach in Lagos could eventually become history and out of it we now have a sprawling city, Eko Atlantic, what makes anyone think that flood prone areas in Anambra cannot become new beautiful cities, with massive real estates that would create jobs and wealth for the people,” he would ask.
Okonkwo’s vocal criticism of Governor Soludo’s lackluster attention to the loss of life and property in the state, and his unfulfilled economic promises like turning Anambra into an “African Dubai and Taiwan”, positions him as the credible alternative who has the courage to tackle problem head-on rather than allow then fester. By tapping into public dissatisfaction about Soludo’s weak performance, Okonkwo will be able to consolidate support among APC members who now see him as the best candidate to challenge the ruling party in the November election and also pave the way for the party to make major inroads in the 2027 presidential election.
Credit:The Sun