By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The re-election bid of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo gained fresh momentum over the week as the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) flagged off its ward-to-ward campaign tour in Awka South Local Government Area with massive turnouts in Isiagu, Ezinator, and Umuawulu communities.
The colourful political outing, which drew government officials, party stalwarts, community leaders, youths and women, was described as another strong demonstration of APGA’s deep grassroots reach and its determination to secure overwhelming victory in the November 8 governorship election.
Addressing jubilant supporters at the event, the Deputy Governor of the State, Dr. Onyeka Ibezim, portrayed Governor Soludo as a prudent manager of resources and a leader who has matched promises with visible achievements. He highlighted the kilometres of new roads flagged off , ongoing and completed across the state within three years by the Solution Government, while also assuring that the roads linking Isiagu and Ezinator were already captured in the administration’s project pipeline and would soon be delivered.
While recounting order achievements of the Soludo administration in different parts of the state, Dr. Ibezim further called on women and youths in particular to drive the campaign at the grassroots, insisting that APGA’s “one million votes target” was achievable with collective effort.
Also speaking, the Deputy Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Pius Okoye, who reaffirmed Anambra as APGA land and key strongholds of the party, further pledged that the communities would return 100 percent votes for Soludo.
Recalling construction of classroom blocks as his first constituency project in Isiagu, the lawmaker also beamed lights on Governor Soludo’s infrastructural development across the state and in Awka South in particular, describing these as another evidence of APGA’s closeness to the grassroots. He consequently urged voters to rally behind the governor to consolidate ongoing reforms in education, security, and infrastructure.
Earlier speaking the Chairman of the Soludo-Ibezim Campaign Council in Awka South and Managing Director of the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA), Dr. Ossy Onuko, emphasized that the ward tour and the massive turnout had again reaffirmed APGA’s unrivalled dominance in Anambra politics.
According to him, Governor Soludo’s administration had redefined governance by investing heavily in roads, schools, hospitals, and human capital development, all while ensuring prompt payment of salaries and pensions.
Amidst massive applause and cheers oozing out from the mammoth crowd, Dr. Onuko, who assured the people that the APGA government would sustain and also redouble its developmental strides upon reelection advised the people not to be deceived by anyone who may come to distort or disrupt the massive progress Ndi Anambra are enjoying today. The ACTDA helmsman also stressed that the party’s evidence-based campaign would continue to be anchored on polling-unit mobilisation, which, according to him, is APGA’s “winning formula” to ensure another landslide victory across the various polling units in the 21 local government areas of the state.
Contributing, a community stakeholders, Chief Jude Nwangwu from Isiagu, who also glowingly acknowledged Governor Soludo’s performance, lauded his strides in different sectors. He, however, appealed for expedited action on the completion of roads linking Isiagu, Ezinator, and the Nazareth Centre.
Also speaking, a stakeholder and APGA chieftain from Umuawulu, Chief Azubuike Ekweozor (Ide Umuawulu), lauded the governor’s infrastructural and innovative projects, pledging to deliver all 16 polling units in the community. He argued that Soludo had surpassed expectations and therefore deserved a second term to continue transforming the state.
In their separate remarks, some women leaders across the wards, including Mrs. Bibian Onwurah from Isiagu and Mrs. Okpala Chinyere from Umuawulu added their voices in praising what they described as Soludo’s people-focused policies.
Citing the modern market toilets built at Afor Isiagu, the governor’s free education, free antenatal, child delivery and caesarean services, as evidences of responsive governance, they assured that the women, who have benefited alot from the APGA government were solidly behind the party and would mobilize all their polling units for the governor’s reelection to continue and complete his good works.
The event was also marked by a minute of silence in honour of the late former Deputy Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Harford Oseke, an indigene of Umuawulu, described by speakers as a patriotic son who served his people with distinction.
Dignitaries at the campaign launch included the Mayor of Awka South, Prince Chinedu Okafor; the APGA Chairman for Awka South, Barr. Lawrence Chukwuma; the President General of Ogbunike Building Material Association, Chief Jude Nwankwor; and the Chairman of the Governing Board of Anambra State Waste Management Authority (ASWAMA), Prof. Emma Ezenwaji, among others.
