By Izunna Okafor, Awka
As the 2025 gubernatorial election draws near in Anambra State, a solidarity group, Soludo Ambassadors, has predicted a landslide victory for Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo in all parts of the State, even in Nnewi, the hometown of the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial Zone, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
The National Leader of the group and the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA), Mr. Ossy Onuko, revealed this in an interview with this reporter in response to what he described as distraction and unnecessary heating up the polity by Senator Ubah, whom he said had been making unnecessary noise over his ambition to contest for the state’s governorship election come 2025. He predicted that the Governor will floor Ubah in Nnewi, where he claims to have his stronghold.
Mr. Onuko described Ubah’s guber ambition as mere testing of popularity, stressing that he will fail again the same way he failed the other time he contested, as Ndị Anambra are very comfortable with Governor Soludo and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
“As I said earlier, Senator Ubah is just trying to test his popularity and he has the right to do so. But for Ndị Anambra, we are settled for Soludo.
“Mind you that the governor has not even indicated the interest to run for a second term, but for some of us and other well-meaning Ndị Anambra are at the forefront of encouraging him and pressuring him to declare his ambition, because we believe it is in the best interest of the state, so that he will consolidate on the initial gains he has made in his first four-year term. And we are doing so because we have the interests of our people at heart.”
Continuing, he said: “Anambra has come to a level that we do not need a lot of political distraction; and those of them throwing their hat in the ring, I think they are welcome. However, there is no vacancy in Agụ Awka come 2025. Soludo will complete his statutory second term, as the mandate of Ndị Anambra will be renewed come 2025.”
Mr. Onuko cited instances of Governor Soludo’s remarkable achievements in infrastructural development and other sectors of the state, which he said have laid the foundation that will catalyse the economic transformation needed in the state.
“If you look at the five pillars of his administration and the agenda he has for the state, he has done marvellously and excellently well in all of them. He has, at least, in this first two years, laid the foundations that will catalyse the economic transformation that we need in the States.
“Is it in law and order? Is it in security? Is it in governance. Is it infrastructure wise? This is first time in history where in just two years in office, we have over 400 kilometres of road going on in different parts of the State. So, the issue is just as clear as daylight,” he emphasized.
He further advised Senator Ubah to tread with caution, desist from unnecessary heating up the polity and attempting to distract Governor Soludo.
“You know, in every context of this nation, especially in a Republican place like Anambra, we expect there to be some sort of heating up, but not to the extent of trying to distract the state governor or trying to be personal with attacks.
“So for me, Governor Soludo is going to win in Nnewi, just like I said. He will Nnewi 100%. And there’s no two ways about that,” he concluded.
