Anambra State stood still last Thursday, when President Bola Tinubu paid a working visit. OKEY MADUFORO reports on the new mantra of progressivism encapsulated by the duo ahead of the November 8 gubernatorial election in the state
News greeted Anambra political landscape two months ago about the likelihood of President Bola Tinubu visiting the state and it indeed set the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state and the centre’s All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state on a war path.
It was touted that the proposed visit was a plot by APGA to feather its nest and to ultimately make bogus claims about the relationship between the presidency and the state government to the disadvantage of the APC in Anambra.
The APC, not only contended that there were no such plans, but added that Tinubu cannot come to Anambra to endorse a major political opponent of the party when it already has a capable contender for the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
It was touted that Tinubu would send the Vice President or better still a top cabinet member to represent him in order not to offend members of his party. The date was shifted from April 1 to 10 of the same month, and at some point, the APC went to town to celebrate that the proposed visit has been cancelled hence relishing the party’s capacity to stop Governor Charles Soludo, who is seeking a second term.
Later it was rumoured that the visit was to commission the Chief Emeka Anyaoku Centre for International Studies at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and after that the President would return to Abuja without meeting Governor Soludo or inspecting any of his projects.
Battle of words
When the air of confusion was cleared and it was confirmed that the President is finally going to come on a working visit to Anambra State, another episode of name dropping took the centre stage and the APC boasted that Tinubu is coming to endorse the candidacy of Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu as the next governor of the state.
It was also peddled that Tinubu would hold an allimportant meeting with APC leaders in the state to perfect the party’s plan on how to unseat the governor in the coming election. Augustine Nwanegbo, a chieftain of the APC told this reporter that “it is over for the governor and he knows it.
What we will do on the election day is more of affirmation of what has been executed and he would return to his Isuofia home and get retired permanently from active politics. ” He added: “Mr. President cannot come to endorse Governor Charles Soludo when he has a candidate that is strong enough to remove this man and we have all the logistics to retire him permanently.”
As the foremost progressive party in Nigeria, APGA is ideologically and strategically aligned with the centre. So far, the progressives are working well together
But the Soludo-led APGA government did not go to sleep as the state chairman of the party, Chief Ifeatu Obi-Okoye countered those claims. Obi-Okoye described the alleged report that President Tinubu visit is to endorse the APC candidate, warning those he called paid agents and political jobbers to desist from making bogus claims that over heat the polity.
His words: “Must we politicize everything in Anambra state be cause of patronage? those people in the APC who claim to have the adequate funds to execute the gubernatorial election are pedestrians who are living in the past and their plot is to set Anambra State 20 years backward.
“Anambra people are wiser and more sophisticated and also well informed that you cannot deceive them and they have minds of their own that political jobbers and paid agents cannot hoodwink them into accepting that hogwash. “I have been in politics for decades now and those who go about playing tales by moonlight are bereft of the trappings of Anambra politics and governance, and we warn that they should stay clear from such unsubstantiated reports.
“President Tinubu is not the president of APC alone but the president of Nigeria which APGA members are inclusive and he is coming on a working visit to Anambra State and not an APC rally hence those benefactors of rumour peddlers need to be informed and well guided about the visit.”
Obi-Okoye also described the threats of the APC members as an indication of a people who have already lost the November 8 gubernatorial election and are only desperate to protect the little and insignificant followers that they have at all times led by the nose.
“When you seem to have some form of followers that gives you a false political milage, there is that propensity to protect it amidst necked facts on the ground that you have lost your deposit and that is exactly what they are doing and I urge those supporters to wake up and not to allow themselves to be led by the nose ” he said.
However, tempers and emotions ran wild when 24 hours to the presidential visit, both political parties began to hustle over who would receive him and the confusion between a political visit or a working visit hence it was ordered that no party or support group uniforms would be allowed at the town hall meeting at the Dr Alex Ekwueme Square.
Though it is not clear if the ban was announced by the presidency or the office of the Governor of Anambra State, the Special Adviser to Governor Soludo on Political Affairs, Dr Alex Obiogbolu, directed party members and the over 60 support groups of the governor not to wear their branded dresses to the event.
He noted that the visit is not a political party affair, adding that all and sundry must comply. But when contacted the chairman of the APC in Anambra State, Chief Basil Ejidike, declined comment but was quick to add that as a political party that produced the President, they wish Tinubu a hitch free visit to Anambra State.
Drama at Alex Ekwueme Square
Despite all the threats of war and trading of words by the two political parties, the town hall meeting which was expected to be the mother of all battles turned out an anti climax, when a new wave of alliance came to the front burner between President Tinubu and Governor Soludo baptized as Progressivism. Soludo in his welcome address said: “The people are better and happy. In Anambra we are firmly and comfortably progressives.
In 2011 (before I joined in 2013), APGA took an official position to support and work with the political party/government at the centre. Indeed, in that year, APGA adopted the sitting president then as its presidential candidate.
“That policy has not changed. Coincidentally at this moment in history, the party/government at the centre is one that also professes ‘progressivism.’ As the foremost progressive party in Nigeria, APGA is ideologically and strategically aligned with the centre.
So far, the progressives are working well, together. “It is indeed time for all progressives, federalists and all parties with social-democratic, centrist, and left-of centre credentials to unite – to advance the purpose of a united and progressive Nigeria. Mr. President should lead us in this new movement.”
Sealing the progressivism deal, President Tinubu toed similarly path, when he painted a vivid picture of the Soludo he knows. He said: “I recall vividly telling you then when I came here on campaign that Charles Soludo, your son is still my friend. I salute his vision. He is a brilliant man. He has the brain. He is a thinker. He knows the way. We will work together inclusively.
When I become the president, Soludo will be one of those advisors who will bring prosperity back to you. “From who hat I have seen and heard, it is evident that a solid foundation is being laid, and Anambra is indeed on the rise.
Soludo has been my friend since 2003, and I can also confirm that we are working together for a better Anambra and Nigeria. “Let me commend the government of Anambra State for its proactive efforts in improving security.
I wish to assure you that the Federal Government will continue to partner with the state and the South-East to secure our people and their future.
“I have noted the state’s various challenges and your request for assistance and partnership. We will continue to partner with your state to deliver shared prosperity to the people of Anambra and all Nigerians.
“Many of my friends are from Anambra State, and I have seen many of them today. Going forward, we are not just friends, I am now a bona fide son of the soil – one of you, your own son! Maybe my friend and your governor, Soludo, should find me a plot of land for my retirement home after service.”
Odds and options ahead
November 8 The stage is indeed set for what may be described as the game of cards between the APC and APGA given the fact that each of the parties claims to have the arsenal to secure victory. Though Anambra electorate will surely decide, the two parties are coming to the table with a catalogue of achievements recorded so far.
Chief Bunty Onuigbo ,a spokesperson of the APC Elders Council in Anambra South Senatorial District, who dismissed the position of APGA on the coming election, stated that the issue of progressivism between Soludo and Tinubu doesn’t translate to the boast of APGA that Tinubu has endorsed him. “What do you expect Mr. President to say when he comes to any state in the country?
He is the president of Nigeria and he would always speak like a father and that is the mistake the APGA people are making. “During the election proper, he will support his party not APGA, and don’t forget that he needs more states, including Anambra during the general election,” he said.
But Dr Chuma Odili, a media consultant and CEO of Ogene News Network, who dismissed Onuigbo’s claims, noted that the boast of the APC in Anambra State would come to noting during the election. According to him, “Mr. President came on a working visit to Anambra State and scored Governor Charles Soludo high and even commissioned some projects.
During the election proper, the President will support his party not APGA. Don’t forget that he needs more states, including Anambra during the general election
Everyone listened to his speech and he made no mistake about the great achievements of the governor and he observed that the policies of the Soludo administration are in line with his Renewed Hope agenda.
“Since he has already congratulated the governor for doing well, it will amount to speaking from both sides of the mouth to come back to say that Soludo is not doing well and I don’t see him saying that.
“Soludo’s concept of progressivism is very clear to us because it was APGA that initiated it as a party before the merger or political baptism of Congress for Progressives Chance (CPC) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has it as an ideology and later took it on as APC and that is one thing that both political parties have going for them ” he said.
Anambra chairman of APGA, Obi-Okoye described the threats of the APC in the state as mere rantings just to seek relevance. “This is politics and it is a free country, so they can afford to rant as muscle as they could because it is already over for the other parties.
A party that is still grappling with its internal crisis that has remained like a virus and people are leaving the party in droves and the structures have been crashing and before they figure out how to salvage the situation their party leader, President Tinubu paid a working visit to Anambra State, and after commissioning and inspection of projects scored Governor Soludo of APGA excellent hence deepening the APC predicament in Anambra State.
“What that means is that they have lost their deposit. Are they coming to tell Anambra people about the administration of Soludo? Are they coming to tell our people that their leader and president of Nigeria lied about the achievements of the governor?
“Are they going to tell our people that those projects were never executed or that Mr. President did not see those projects because he commissioned them at night?” Obi-Okoye contended that the issue of progressivism between Soludo and Tinubu is a well tailored alliance between the party at the centre and Anambra State and that it has come to stay.
According to him, “that is why they are not comfortable with that visit and they did all that they could to stop it but it was already late for them and that is the product of the alliance between APGA and APC at the centre and it has come to stay” he said. As the election draws near several observers are already giving it to the governor, while a those who appears to hold their loyalty to their party still feel that miracle may happen.
APC have never had it rosy in Anambra State since its formation but a former governor of the state, Dr. Chris Ngige used one of its legacy parties, ACN to go to the Senate but as an APC candidate, he couldn’t make it back to the Red Chambers even when he contested twice as the party’s gubernatorial candidate. The party used to have four seats at the state House of Assembly but presently those seats are occupied by APGA and PDP.
Even federal appointments for Anambra State were given to APGA members but for few recent board appointments that were announced recently. The party has continued to battle without end to raise its head above the water but the stigma not conducting a credible free and fair primary elections have been its bane.
Similarly, the party has always thrown up controversial elements as candidates whose pasts have never spoken anything good hence the rejection of those candidates. It is being touted that the emergence of its candidate as winner of the coming election will rekindle the old flame as established structures may be pulled down in order for new one to gain presence.
