Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has appealed to voters not to disrupt the state’s long-standing zoning arrangement during the forthcoming governorship election scheduled for November 8, 2025.
Speaking at a political rally in Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area on Wednesday, Soludo warned that electing a candidate outside the Anambra South Senatorial District, or choosing another candidate from the same zone could destabilize the power rotation system that has promoted equity and peace in the state’s politics.
“Zoning of the governorship among Anambra Central, Anambra North, and Anambra South has come to stay,” Soludo declared. “It has brought stability to our political environment. From Peter Obi to Obiano, and now to Soludo, power has rotated successfully among the three zones.”
The governor stressed that re-electing him would ensure that power returns to Anambra Central after his tenure, while choosing another candidate from the South would elongate the zone’s stay in power by another eight years.
He also cautioned that electing someone from another district would “destroy” the zoning arrangement entirely.
Highlighting his administration’s achievements, Soludo said his government had made significant strides in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and youth empowerment.
According to him, Anambra’s public schools now rank among the best in Nigeria, with students winning national and international awards. He said 8,115 teachers have been recruited and smart schools established across the state.
On healthcare, the governor disclosed that all 326 wards now have functional primary health centers, with over 1,000 medical professionals recruited and more than 170,000 women benefiting from free maternal and delivery services.
He added that Anambra recently received $700,000 as the best-performing state in Nigeria in a global healthcare challenge.
Soludo also noted that 13,000 youths had received seed funding to start businesses, while over 30,000 others were trained in digital skills.
“In infrastructure,” he said, “we have constructed and rehabilitated over 1,000 kilometers of roads and completed major projects such as the new Government House and flyover bridges. Anambra is on the rise.”
The governor commended Nkpor and Idemili North stakeholders for their support, revealing that communities now contribute financially to his campaign rather than collect money from politicians.
“When we went to Obosi, they supported us with ₦50 million. Ekwulobia and Oraifite gave ₦80 million and ₦100 million respectively. Abatete contributed ₦50 million, while Nando and Umuawulu gave ₦15 million and ₦20 million,” he said.
Soludo urged residents of Idemili North to turn out massively and vote during the election, lamenting that the area’s huge voting population had not always translated to electoral strength.
He assured that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) remains the party to beat, insisting that any fair election in Anambra would be won by APGA.
Emmanuel Idemili (Oputa Ife-Adi Nkpor), Convener of the Divine Mandate Actualization (DMA), described Soludo as a visionary leader whose transparency has rekindled public trust.
“Instead of people collecting money from politicians, they now contribute to support Soludo,” Idemili said. “This shows that government can truly be accountable to the people. On November 8, Idemili North will deliver 100 percent votes for him.”
