Anambra 2021: Echoes of drums of war as gladiators battle over who emerges Governor

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By Emman Ovuakporie

Anambra gubernatorial election is one poll that will go a long way in signposting the shape and manner the 2023 general elections will look like in Nigeria.

TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) in this analysis is going to take a look at the factors that will go a long way in determining who captures the day come November 6.

With the relaxation of the sit-at-home order by Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) after Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) took a stand that Anambra guber race must hold has gone a long way to reduce the mountainous tension that was building up before the November 6 guber race.

The apex electoral body in Nigeria too,the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) had vowed that the election must hold.

With this unfolding developments, Anambra seem set to produce the next Governor of the state adjudged to be the number one state in Nigeria that is always producing the highest number of guber candidates in the country.

In most cases formidable candidates that are not pushovers fall by the way side because money laced with politics always play a pivotal role in Anambra political affairs.

The list of registered candidates by INEC shows that Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), along with 15 other candidates — all male — are vying for the governorship position.
There are, however, seven females vying for deputy governorship position.

As it’s, there are 18 gubernatorial candidates trying to grab Willie Obiano’s job come November 6, but from all indications it may just be a four-man race revolving around Chukwuma Soludo of APGA, Valentine Ezigbo of PDP, Ifeanyi Ubah of YPP and Andy Ubah of APC the ruling party in Nigeria.

These four political bigwigs are all billionaires with massive investments both known and unknown to Nigerians here and abroad.

Anambra people may not know what is in government House that’s attracting all these men that by every sense of it are more than comfortable if not for power to control resources of the state.

Let’s take a look at each of these four political gladiators.

Sen Ifeanyi Ubah, 50 years old is the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District in the Red Chamber who contested under a relatively unknown YPP party in the South East but finally landed in the Senate.

A good fighter who throws in all it takes to win a battle. Ubah is one contestant to watch out for on Saturday. He is definitely not going to be a pushover because he’s firmly in control of his senatorial district. A little spread into other districts may turn the table in his favour.

Prof Charles Soludo, an economist and one time former Governor of the Nigerian apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) who had tried in the past and woefully failed is Governor Obiano’s right hand man.

The 61years old economist who under normal circumstances could have easily grabbed Obiano’s job may have a lot to contend with because of his over confidence in the state might mentality.

This mentality may really work against him on Saturday if he does not watch his flanks very well. He is running under APGA the only surviving Igbo party in Nigeria. This alone is an added advantage for Soludo but his larger than life confidence might just be his undoing at the polls.

Sen Nnamdi Ubah, popularly known as Andy Ubah of the ruling APC definitely may not become a political relic after Saturday because the ‘federal might’ will probably work in his favour if he can conveniently put his house in order before Saturday.

He has not really shown any confidence about the possibility of emerging Governor but believes the ruling party could perform miracles without prophecy on Saturday.

But one thing is certain, he is a grassroot politician with native intelligence. If he applies his native wisdom adequately, ‘federal might’ could just help him shove aside others.

Valentine Ezigbo, 51years old ,he is the man carrying the flag of the umbrella party, the PDP. He is the immediate past Chief Executive of Transcorp Plc. Described in many quarters as an astute business man and politician.

The PDP over the years has lost steam in Anambra due to the poor political leadership at the centre and this can negatively work against this robust politician.

He should quietly wait for his turn to govern the state because Anambra politics is all about how stomach infrastructure can be distributed via the highest bidder.

Other contestants are just bench warmers vying to add Anambra guber contestant to their curriculum vitae.

But the election on Saturday is going to be turbo charged and from all indications, it’s a warfare that will be filled with mines and the man with the largest war chest might just emerge Governor.

It’s also going to be a ‘state might’ vs ‘federal might’.