Although the only vacant offices to be voted for in the state are the 30 state legislators, 11 House of Representatives and three senatorial seats, the electorate are gearing up for the onerous task of exercising their franchise in the 2023 general elections holding few weeks from now. OKECHUKWU ONUEGBU from Awka reports.
The state being governed by the former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), is surely a hotbed of political activities to watch out for due to several factors.
Since December 2022 to date, collections of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) from offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other designated centres have been on the increase.
With her over 2.5million registered voters, Anambra parades two among the 18 presidential candidates seeking to occupy the Aso Rock Villa, namely Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Justice Peter Umeadi of APGA.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra state, has demonstrated that he is a force to reckon with in the forthcoming elections owing to his various achievements within the eight years as governor of the state.
Of note during his time in office included the court cases he won against an illegal impeachment. In 2019, when he was the Vice presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party won two senatorial seats, seven House of Representatives seats, six House of Assembly seats and majority votes cast for the presidential poll.
Labour Party with new momentum
The Labour Party with its new sensation can boast of its executives and members across all the 326 electoral wards, communities, 21 Local Government Areas and state.
Although the party, before now has never won election in Anambra state, it had been participated in the state governorship elections and general elections since it was founded.
Senator Andy Uba and Senator Ifeanyi Ubah have been their governorship candidates in 2010 and 2013, respectively. Other notable personalities have equally ran for various electoral offices under the platform. The party now commands unprecedented membership, especially, now Obi is gunning for number one seat in Nigeria.
The popular view is that the LP candidates in Anambra state may likely spring surprises in the 2023 as Obi’s influence and popularity might rub off on them.
In addition, the party parades notable figures whose names cannot be forgotten in a hurry in Anambra politics as its candidates for various offices. They include Senator Victor Umeh, Senatorial candidate for Anambra Central.
Umeh is a former National Chairman of APGA and one time member representing Anambra Central in the red chamber. Another person is Hon. Tony Nwoye, the Senatorial candidate for Anambra North.
Nwoye, a former leader of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) had represented Anambra East and Anambra West federal constituency.
He has also contested for governorship elections in Anambra state twice using the platforms of both PDP and All Progressive Congress (APC), during which he emerged the runners up in the two instances.
The third prominent person contesting under LP is Chief Obinna Uzoh, the Senatorial candidate for Anambra South, who has been senatorial and governorship candidate of many political parties in the state.
As a result, the State Chairman of Labour Party, Chief Ugochukwu Emeh, has at different fora boasted, “Eligible voters in Anambra state will vote massively for Labour Party.” He was of the view that LP has qualified and capable candidates who are loved by all.
The ruling APGA among parties to watch
Observers have also identified the ruling APGA as a no push over party in the state. They believe the party would make serious impact in the election. Some of its leading candidates, especially those contesting for Senate are not greenhorns but hard nuts to crack too.
They include the wife of the former governor, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, the candidate for Anambra North; and Hon. Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo, member representing Njikoka/Anaocha/Dunukofia constituency who is currently the party standard bearer for Anambra Central.
For Anambra South, the party is battling with court cases which has made it difficult for one to know if Hon. Chris Azubuogu, member representing Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo federal constituency is it’s candidate or Hon. Ben. Nwankwo, former rep. for Orumba North and South Federal Constituency.
Experts believe that APGA will surely secure majority of votes to be cast for States House of Assembly. A public commentator, Mr Ikechukwu Iwu opined that the “State Assembly poll will be for as usual to APGA. The party candidates will receive a kind of sympathy votes because the former national leader late Ikemba Odimegwuu Ojukwu whose name has often been used to curry votes.
“Some will vote for the party so as to prevent possible impeachment of the governor and chaos that it could generate. But other political parties will win two or more seats because people will definitely vote for competency and credibility not party.”
Notwithstanding, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, the APGA National Chairman, Chief Victor Oye and others at the APGA Presidential Campaign flag off held in Awka last week Saturday, claimed that Anambra is APGA and should be voted for “All the way, from top to bottom.”
Soludo, who also assured a level playground to candidates of all political parties, maintained, “the first registered political party in Nigeria with the name progressive is APGA and Anambra state is the home of APGA and the home of progressives and we call on Nigerians to vote APGA all the way.
“We are progressives and that is why we allowed other political parties and their candidates to come here on campaign because we believe in level play ground for all and sundry to campaign which some people while they were here did not do.”
Will PDP’s old structures work in its favour?
Another political party to watch in Anambra state in the 2023 general elections is the PDP. Aside been the oldest, it has the enabling structures across the nooks and crannies of the state. It might not have won gubernatorial poll since it lost out the seat of power in 2003 but it has always won majority national and state assembly seats in the state.
Political pundits, however, believe Obi’s exit from the party, would likely have a big blow impact on the PDP. To many, it was through the erstwhile governor’s influence the party won most of political seats in 2015 and 2019 respectively.
The expectation is that the outcome of this year’s elections would surely prove PDP’s popularity or otherwise. As usual it parades it’s regulars for the senatorial seats Senators; Uche Ekwujife and Stella Odua, both of whom are seeking reelection for Anambra Central and Anambra North, respectively. For South District, the party has Chief Chris Uba, former BoT member of PDP.
The party is also dominated by other politicians of note, some of who are determined to deliver Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate and other candidates of the party.
For instance, the leader
Atiku-Okowa Presidential Management Committee in Anambra state, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, while launching campaign called for “One Ward, Minimum of One Thousand Votes”, and vowed that they would do all humanly possible to win majority of votes in the state.
He further said, “We are confident that Atiku Abubakar, GCON, and Senator Ifeanyichukwu Okowa, CON, will be victorious in Anambra. “Our One Ward, Minimum of One Thousand Votes” campaign project, which is expected to complement the Win As Always theme, is aiming to launch in the wards and polling booths from January 18 to January 22, 2023, from where our apostles for Atiku-Okowa would spread the “One Ward, Minimum of One Thousand Votes” gospel and ensure its penetration across the entire 326 wards and 5720 polling booths.
“Looking at the figures and total votes cast for Anambra state in the 2019 presidential election, where about 625,035 votes were cast and the PDP amassed over 84 percent of the total votes cast in the state, polling 524,738, hopes are high that the state will witness a 10 – 15 percent increase if the security situation in the region permits.
“Nigerians across every divide are yearning for the PDP to return to power; we in Anambra State and the southeast are not left behind; we want the PDP back, and the recovery plan of Atiku Abubakar, GCON, is sacrosanct,” Okonkwo added.
YPP at a glance
The Young Progressive Party (YPP) is another small bet mighty party to watch in Anambra State. The Senator representing Anambra South, Ifeanyi Ubah, was the first man to win a seat with the party few months after it registrations in 2019. Ubah also contested the Anambra State 2021 gubernatorial poll with the party, and won Nnewi North although ended in forth position. YPP has some of the best hands likely to be considered by eligible voters in the state. For Senate, Ubah is seeking reelection and is confident of victory. In a recent interview, he said he was sure of victory on the poll because of his performance, empowerments and others.
Aside Ubah, YPP has others candidates namely, Dr Chinedu Umeadi, a medical doctor turned politician, who is in for Anambra Central; and Hon. Julius Igwebuike Okoye, candidate for Anambra North. They also have contestants for other elective positions.
Besides these four top political parties, there are twelve other political parties with various candidates for the elections in Anambra state. They include the All Progressive Congress (APC), Boot party, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), etc.
Pundits believe that the names of these later parties would certainly be on the ballot but there is nothing to show that the can spring surprise to find a winning strategy in the state.