Last Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Anambra saw the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) retain its hold on the state. OKEY MADUFORO reports on Governor Charles Soludo’s journey to victory

The first term election of Governor Charles Soludo was seen by his traducers as a roller coaster on the account that then Governor Willie Obiano bankrolled and contested the election on his behalf. It was contended that Soludo has never won any election ever both as a student unionist and as a politician hence the November 8 gubernatorial election in the state would be the real test of his popularity and acceptability.

The opposition further took on the governor on the security challenges that have been the bane of his administration, insisting that he has not done much to ensure the security of lives and property of Anambra people. The opposition also hinged their battle to unseat Soludo on what they described as collapse of social and basic infrastructure in the state.

Then came the Obidient Movement during the last general election, which took a swipe on the governor for making statements that suggested that their presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, would not win the election. Soludo was not only seen as anti-Igbo, but was accused of doing the bidding of the enemies of the South-East geopolitical zone. He was also accused of campaigning for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

The said general election almost swept the carpet off the feet of the APGA government in Anambra State as most National Assembly seats hitherto occupied by members of the party were lost to the Labour Party (LP). It indeed took sustained hard work and tenacity of purpose for APGA to secure the majority of seats at the state House of Assembly that year hence Soludo survived the Obidient Movement tsunami.

Homeland security controversy

In a bid to stem the tide of kidnappings, ritual killings and the sore point of paganism in the state, the Soludo administration sponsored a bill that was passed into law by the State Assembly, and which gave birth to Udo Ga Chi Security Operations popularly known as Agunechemba Security Squad.

Operations of Agunechemba Security Squad became yet another campaign tool by the opposition parties, which picked holes in that policy and accused the governor of setting up a militia group to harass and intimidate innocent people on the guys of fighting insecurity.

They called for banning of outfits such as Agunechemba and State Anti-Touting Squad as well as Operation Clean, Healthy Anambra aka Ocha Brigandage. Staff of these bodies are seen as government touts being used to cow the opposition and it has been reported that several petitions have been sent to the Federal Government, alleging that they are messengers of horror and sorrow.

While these litany of attacks lasted Governor Soludo appeared unperturbed hence focusing on his administration which further brought more rage on the part of his traducers.

Drums of war

Shortly after the conduct of the governorship primary elections, the opposition came calling, setting traps ahead of the Anambra South Senatorial District and Onitsha North 1 Constituency by-elections. Fate, however, couldn’t smile on the opposition as the two elections were won by APGA.

Even the gubernatorial candidate of the APC and the senatorial candidate of the party lost in their respective wards. The duo had earlier boasted that these two elections would indeed prove to the public that the governor is not on ground and that he should start packing his belongings set to leave the Light House, Awka.

And as the November 8 gubernatorial election drew nearer, the opposition was at its elements once again as all manner of propaganda and dummies were sold to the electorate. Members of the opposition insisted that it was over for the governor. Stories had it that the presidency ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu to capture Anambra and bring the state to the centre.

It was also peddled that machinery has been put in place using the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staff, security operatives and political thugs to enthrone the APC candidate as governor of the state. The political sea became more turbulent when President Bola Tinubu was to visit Anambra State. Several plots were hatched in order to stop the President from embarking on the visit.

The visit was reported to have been postponed twice while it was also touted that Tinubu was coming to commission a centre named after Chief Emeka Anyaoku and not a state visit.

The APC even boasted that Tinubu would be holding far reaching meetings with the party and its candidate for the final push to remove the governor. During the President’s visit, the leadership of the opposition was nowhere to be found at the Chinua Achebe Airport, Umuleri as Tinubu was received by the governor.

His traducers were also not found at the occasion. Deepening the sorry fate of Soludo’s traducers was the fact that there was no provision in the presidential itinerary for Tinubu to hold a meeting with APC faithful which indicated that the report about capturing Anambra State was more of a ruse.

Election proper

Three days to the election, Anambra cut the picture of a police state with several platoons of solders, policemen and other security operatives from sister organisations storming the state. It indeed seemed like hell would be let loose on the day of the election but true to the nature of Anambra it all turned out to be an anti-climax.

There was no voter apathy and INEC officials reported at the various polling units as early as 6.30 am, and at exactly 8.am, accreditation and voting started. Mid-day, results from the polling units started coming out and it became clear that the boast by the opposition was more of an empty threat. Most of the 15 candidates lost in their respective wards, while Governor Soludo won in all the 21 local government areas of the state to the chagrin of the perceived formidable opposition.

There were allegations of vote buying and violence which never came to the table of security operatives hence raising doubts about such claims. However, it was confirmed that there were pockets of fisticuff in some areas but it wasn’t enough to derail the electoral process hence the following day, Sunday November 9, INEC announced the outcome of the election and declared Governor Soludo winner.

APGA consolidates

With Soludo’s victory, it is now clear that it would be herculean for another party to displace APGA in Anambra State given the peoples love for the party. Apparently there may be no room for the opposition to continue to fire salvos at the ruling party in the state as it was gathered that even agents of the opposition parties and their supporters worked for APGA and Governor Soludo.

Even the alleged face-off between Soludo and the leadership of the various churches in the state could not turn the table or play major upset as 90 per cent of the Christian faithful refused to take the usual Episcopal orders of their leaders. Similarly, the traditional Institution, which the opposition claimed, was in support of their bid to unseat Soludo, never played any role in determining the outcome of the election.