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Tag: Anambra

  • Soludo: A post -election Anambra – Dakuku Peterside

    Soludo: A post -election Anambra – Dakuku Peterside

    Dakuku Peterside

    At face value, the Anambra election 2021 is over, but the lessons have far broader implications that will endure. Beyond these lessons, of what is considered the most consequential election in 2021, is the management of the people’s expectations and the governor-elect’s ability to fix the jigsaw puzzle of the many contradictions that Anambra represents.

    Let’s begin with the elections, context and lessons learnt. Anambra 2021 is an off-season election, and historically off-season elections are indicators of what to expect in preceding general elections. As Dr Chidi Amuta had presented in his column elsewhere, Anambra is unique for many reasons and whatever happens in that state applies to other states in Nigeria, perhaps in different dimensions.

    First, the contest of the election was defined by the peculiarities of insecurity in the state where non-state actors are contesting for power and are enjoying semi legitimacy because of the apparent support they are getting from locals. IPOB’s persistent sit-at-home regime preceding the election caused a low turnout of voters, and contestants campaigned under a canopy of mortal fear of real danger. The fear of unknown gunmen pervaded the entire space.
    Second, the government demonstrated its powers to provide security to citizens of Anambra to participate in democracy’s most important ritual of casting votes against the afront of IPOB and Unknown Gunmen who threatened to unleash mayhem in the state against candidates and citizens who planned to participate in the election. Whether the relative peace enjoyed by citizens is a function of the deployment of massive security or the effect of the suspension of the sit-at-home order by IPOB will be an exciting study.
    Third, the historical peculiarities of Anambra state gubernatorial elections that have seen a series of pitched battles among unruly factions of desperate political hustlers, a high-level religious incursion into civil politics, a tale of high drama, crude machinations, and the deployment of violence, even “dark juju”, and cultic mindlessness. The governor’s power is the ultimate power in a state like Anambra, with more than the usual number of billionaires hustling to capture or possibly buy state power, not necessarily for the people’s good.
    The November 6th and 9th elections came and passed with little sinister drama, as some pundits predicted. Anambra citizens defied all odds to heed the call to vote. Comparatively, INEC conducted a credible election by Nigerian standards and declared Prof Charles Soludo the governor-elect. INEC may indeed have fallen short of its benchmark, but yet Anambra 2021 represents hope. In the circumstance of logistics challenge and the pervading threat of local militia, the Nigerian security agencies deployed to Anambra in their thousands also did a fantastic job of providing security to the life and property of people and defying non-state actors who threatened to derail the electoral process. IPOB, in the last few days before the elections, called off the general sit-at-home in Anambra and other Southeast states, thereby reducing the tension in the polity.
    Candidates for the governorship election were generally peaceful and resisted any tendencies for violence or encouraging their supporters to perpetrate electoral violence. Although there were alleged pockets of electoral malpractices here and there, there was no major incident of large-scale rigging reported in national media. Overall, the exercise was a success. That the election held and produced a winner is an incredible feat to accomplish, given the uncertainties and nature of events before the election.
    There are so many lessons to draw from this election by Nigeria and Nigerians. The first is that when the Nigerian state decides to protect its interest and citizens against non-state actors, it goes out of its way to do that. The sheer massive deployment of security agents and the bravery with which they protected lives and property during the election is worthy of note. Such attitude and courage are needed to combat banditry and kidnapping in various parts of the country. Although the ‘militarisation’ of the election process is against democratic precepts, in this case, it was a welcome development. Nigerians should have hope that the Nigerian state cannot be held to ransom by non-state actors, no matter how legitimate their claims may be. The counter-argument is that this level of deployment is only possible because this is an off-season, isolated election. This advances the case for staggered elections.
    The second lesson is the efficacy of technology deployment in election management. INEC showed great confidence in these technologies. Anambra elections allowed INEC the opportunity to test-run some of the recently added technology for conducting free and fair elections. Although a few glitches were recorded during the polls with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), INEC has reassured Nigerians of the importance of using this technology and hope to use it effectively and efficiently in subsequent elections.
    The third lesson is that all politics is local. The people know what they want, given the right environment, they can express their preference for the kind of leadership they believe can help them fix their challenges and achieve their aspirations. The people of Anambra have consistently shown a preference for accomplished professionals, technocrats or intellectuals, and this latest election follows that trend. We expect a new renaissance in politics where young intellectuals and people from the private sector would take up politics and have a realistic expectation to win if there is a level playing field for all. Soludo signifies this ideal. His pedigree and knowledge in management and leadership excited many voters who feel that such knowledge and expertise will translate into good governance and development of the state. Other technocrats and citizens are watching to see how all of these play out and shape the future of politics in Southeast Nigeria.
    After November 9th, Governor-elect Soludo will notice that a Governor by appointment and another by-election are two different scenarios with no meeting point. The meaning of words and concepts are different and new realities will replace old ones. Pre-election truth will substantially differ from post-election truth. Intellectualising governance and leadership are more straightforward than practising it. If academic brilliance makes for good governance, Ashraf Ghani could have delivered in Afghanistan. Being a state governor is not an easy task much more, being a governor of Anambra state with its convoluted contradictions. A state where high net worth individuals and non-state actors’ clamour to capture or influence leadership structures and processes, sometimes at all costs. A state with a relatively thriving economy based on industrialisation and enterprise and massive potential for growth – a state of the likes of Azikiwe’s, Ekwueme’s, Ojukwu’s, and more recently, Peter Obi’s.
    The people’s expectations of Governor-elect, Prof Soludo, is very high. It is very high not only because he ran an eloquent campaign on ‘Solutions’ to Anambra problems and made several promises on how to tackle most of the problems bedevilling the growth of the state, but his pedigree as an intellectual, technocrat and one of the best minds Anambra produced in recent times imbued in people high hopes that he will perform well as a governor.
    The enormity of expectation is seen in the reactions of Nigerians, both home and abroad, to his election. Some are seeing him as the pivot of Nigeria’s turnaround to the path of progress on all fronts because they believe a man with a “good head” will run Anambra state, and in extension, other states will emulate Anambra in voting incredible candidates given how good Prof Soludo will be as a governor. Some even believe that the emergence of Soludo could open up a new vista of leadership quality upgrade in the country.

    During his campaign, he highlighted that he would improve education, increase local and foreign direct investment, increase internally generated revenue, provide about 130,000 jobs, and create 1000 millionaires annually. It is one thing to inspire people to dream big, share a vision, and aspire to great heights, and another to design the “How” to bring the vision to life. The common assumption is that the people of Anambra voted for Soludo because he is a man of ideas, a proven technocrat and intellectual per excellence. I hope that these exceptional qualities that stand him out will manifest in his delivery of good governance.
    There is no doubt that many are rooting for him to succeed, and he will enjoy the support of many in his bid to grow Anambra state. In his acceptance speech, he posits, “My role will be that of your chief servant, and I will work every minute of the day with you to make you profoundly proud. I will need the guidance, advice and contribution of everyone to succeed”. He will need to rally every citizen of Anambra to work with him to achieve these expectations.
    I implore him to start on time to manage peoples’ expectations and be realistic about his potentials and limitations in providing solutions to the myriads of problems of Anambra people. He should always carry people along to understand his vision, agenda, strategy, and policies. This action is essential because rising expectations sometimes lead to increasing frustrations. Even when working hard and putting his best in leading Anambra, if people expect Eldorado and expect it pronto, whatever effort and accomplishments he may have made will be seen from a narrow prism.
    There are three main areas Anambra people will expect the governor-elect to focus on immediately he takes over the state. One is tackling the debilitating insecurity in the state. Through dialogue or use of force, the governor must confront insecurity in Anambra, deal with IPOB and the agitation for Biafra, deal with rising cases of kidnapping, criminality and killings, especially politically motivated ones. He and other southeast governors must work together to bring sanity and peace to the SouthEast.
    The second area is infrastructural development. Lack of infrastructure is the bane of Nigeria. At the state level, infrastructural development will open the state’s economy and provide a high-quality standard of living for residents. The people of Anambra are known for their entrepreneurial spirit. All they need is the right environment to evolve to a modern-day industrial hub.

    The last is human capital development. The governor must come up with a way of harnessing these entrepreneurial skills and spirit for the good of all. He must work “hand in gloves” with the private sector to create businesses and jobs for the residents whilst upskilling them through the provision of high-quality education and professional training.
    Like him or loath him, Prof Soludo is the governor-elect of Anambra state. And come March 2022, he will become the next executive governor of the state, barring any legal manoeuvrings. He is riding on great populism based on his antecedents and pedigree. This has brought huge expectations from most Nigerians, especially given that he symbolised the incursion into politics by technocrats and intellectuals who usually would rather stay aloof before now. He is a game-changer.
    Whilst managing these huge expectations, he must develop a great strategy to accomplish great things in Anambra and make Igbos proud. He is the only governor from APGA, and he must think deeply about the future of the party and whether to expand and go national or remain local. He will be compared with his predecessors, and he must not pale in comparison. He must not fail. My advice to the governor-elect is “focus on the people! Power belongs to God and the people”.

  • Give Me Anambra – Chidi Amuta

    Chidi Amuta

    The morgue keepers waited in vain. Even the large police and military contingents found hardly any ready targets to shoot at. Now they have to return to Abuja to account for unexpended ammunition. What was prepped as Anambra’s IPOB induced blood bath just did not happen after all. Armed political thugs also ran out of luck somehow. We the media who had prepared for a ceremony of macabre headlines had to change rules of engagement. We had to make do with routine election reporting. Entrepreneurial prophets who had had a field day of apocalyptic prognostications were left groping for belated validation to no avail. Reverend Mbaka may soon be out in the streets, searching for a new job. His open endorsement of Mr. Andy Uba and de-marketing of Mr. Soludo did not quite hit the divine bull’s eye. The prophesied clashes between security forces and armed IPOB militia did not come to pass. Anambra defied the lure of tragedy. Democracy survived even if it literally hobbled to deliver an imperfect outcome.

    On its part, INEC initially erred in deference to our worst fears. The security threats provided a ready umbrella for INEC to initially live up to its familiar Nigerian pedigree. Officials arrived several hours late in many centres. Some voters, including the candidates, waited for upwards of five hours before INEC personnel and material arrived many polling venues. INEC’s newly acquired BVAC equipment refused to obey its handlers, necessitating quite a bit of on-site sheepish tinkering. In some cases, the voting hours had to be elongated or extended to the next day. But INEC stuck to its belief in its new capabilities.

    On election day, the gods and ancestors of Anambra were awake. They answered in unison. The elections took place in a largely peaceful atmosphere. Lucky INEC; the BVAC devices woke up, obeyed the gods and worked at last. By last Sunday, less than 24 hours after the polling started, the results were largely ready to be called. But of course there was the hitch of no voting in Ihiala and the contested results in Orumba Local Government. Remarkably, there was a defiant spirit in those who turned up and turned out. It was a belief in something stronger than guns and machetes, the efficacy of elections as democracy’s period ritual of leadership renewal.

    It is quite possible that something positive may come out of the Anambra experience. Two of the contestants, Mr. Ozigbo and Mr. Uba, have called Mr. Soludo to concede defeat and congratulate him. Only Mr. Andy Uba of the APC who came a distant third in the announced results has so far objected to the outcome. He now has the prerogative of going to court to prove his objection. Maybe, out of the crucible of worst expectations, something good may come into Nigeria’s political culture. Those who lose an election may now have the maturity of spirit to concede and move on. Whatever happens, judges are about to lose their relevance as election umpires of final authority!

    It is a matter of understandable concern that the voter turn out was abysmally low. Between the total registered voter population of just less than three million and the accredited voters of less than three hundred thousand, the election recorded a voter turnout of about 11%. This is a typical of war or conflict situations. Check election results in post war Iraq, Somalia and Syria. In such situations, it is only important that elections take place at all. That is the only way to empower a legitimate government to ensure law and order and orderly societal functions.

    Therefore, it is not just the specific outcome of the Anambra election that should elate us. It is the fact that two intangible values have survived and triumphed. The first is the will of the people to use the ritual of periodic election as a ceremony of leadership cleansing, a communal symbolic bath of self renewal. The people of Anambra trooped out, as they did in old times, to cleanse the leadership of the state as a community and commonwealth. Between that ancient communitarian legacy and the modern proposition of democratic change, something priceless has survived in Anambra last week.

    The second intangible is the vindication and survival of democracy itself. Modern democracy as the most resonant expression of the will of the people to speak collectively about how they want to be governed and who should do the governing has just survived. With its imperfections, democracy remains the best tested system for the selection and renewal of leadership in the nation state. It harbors the rituals that unite and consolidates the unity of diverse peoples in the nation state. Democracies work best when they defy the many odds that threaten the existence of the nation state so that the people can testify directly about how and by whom they wish to be governed.

    Despite our current imperfections, therefore, the ability of the Nigerian state to guarantee order and security during the Anambra elections must be saluted. Since after the election, I have heard it from the mouths of ordinary Nigerians that their faith in the future of Nigeria has been renewed. There was adequate arrangement for the security of lives and orderly election process. Of course, that is in the primary role of the state. But we cannot take it for granted. Even the fear that the overwhelming presence of armed security personnel would overwhelm the electorate with a garrison psychology was reasonably well managed. In guaranteeing the survival of democracy in Anambra during the elections, the Nigerian state acquitted itself as the ultimate guarantor of order in our federation. Failure to protect democracy in one state could have sent a signal to the world that perhaps the Nigerian state had failed at last.

    There are even more spectacular outcomes from Anambra. Quite often, democracies end up not producing a leadership that is appropriate to the time and place of the election. Even in the most advanced democracies, it has occasionally happened that the popular will ended up producing a leadership that is the direct opposite of what the polity and society require or even wished for. The popular will can be a fool, grossly misjudging the character of the leadership contestant only to live out the tenure in popular disquiet and regret. Mr. Buhari was massively voted for in 2015. Alas his propelling myths of discipline, nationalism and integrity were largely fake as he may now end up as Nigeria’s most disappointing elected leadership gamble in history. Similarly, American democracy, easily the world’s most showcased, ended up electing Donald Trump, the most bigoted, disorganized and disastrous US president in modern times.

    Ordinarily, the emergence of a winner in a state governorship election should leave the public guessing as to what the new governor has to offer. Speculation heightens if the new elect has little or no public service record or is previously unknown. Mr. Charles Soludo spares us that trouble. He comes as a familiar name, a known face and tested hand. He comes replete with a rare combination of intellectual sagacity and voluptuous resourcefulness. His tenure as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria featured a string of innovations and bold policy reforms that significantly altered the Nigerian banking and financial landscape for good. An copious record as an internationally recognized and respected economist will now put him on a sterling pedestal as a state governor. Luckily, his state has the human, material and economic base to support a transformational and innovative leadership.

    However, there is a sense in which today’s Anambra state has defined Mr. Soludo’s job and mandate. Anambra was made for this grade of leadership at this moment. Also, Soludo comes specifically cut out for the present stage in Anambra’s economic development. A state bristling with untamed capitalist energy needs a leader who can read a balance sheet. Luckily for the governor- elect, Anambra has a rich backdrop of templates and traditions of excellence in diverse fields- politics, business, technocracy, art and culture- from which Soludo can draw.

    In many ways, Anambra is a very historical state, in fact an ‘old’ state akin to but in some ways superior to Oyo, Kaduna, Lagos and a bit of Edo and Enugu. But it is even different and unique. Unlike the others, Anambra did not host the capital of any of the old four regions. Although the seat of the government of old Eastern Nigeria was in Enugu, the effective power centre was actually today’s Anambra state as the source of the elite of politicians, intellectuals, technocrats and pioneer entrepreneurs that drove the old Eastern Region. Its business prowess is made up essentially of the classic capitalist rags to riches crop of bottom up entrepreneurs. Anambra’s strategic advantages are not conferred but strictly home grown.

    Most vitally, Anambra is one of the most politically sophisticated, enlightened and refined states in the federation. It boasts an illustrious pageant of political pioneers, intellectuals, bureaucrats and technocratic pathfinders. This is the home of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nwafor Orizu, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Alex Ekwueme, Chuba Okadigbo, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chinwoke Mbadinuju, Peter Obi and a host of others. In business, this is the home of illustrious pioneer illustrious entrepreneurs: Sir Louis Ojukwu, Chief Augustine Ilodibe, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma, Cosmas Maduka, Emeka Offor, Arthur Eze, Cletus Ibeto and many more younger ones. In Nigerian art and culture, Anambra is a citadel of letters, literature and the plastic arts: Chinua Achebe, Christopher Okigbo, Ben Enwonwu, Cyprian Ekwensi, Onuora Nzekwu, Ossie Enekwe, Chimamanda Adichie, Okey Ndibe etc. There is also a whole string of world class technocrats: Jerome Udoji, Pius Okigbo, Charles Soludo, Obiageli Ezekwesili, late Dora Akunyili, Kingsley Moghalu and many others.

    This rich inheritance is at once a great asset base as well as a burden. Soludo needs to uphold Anambra’s rich heritage while advancing its frontiers and fortunes in the context of the fierce urgency of Anambra’s now.

    First, nowhere else in Nigeria is there so much privately earned big money in the hands of so many young citizens. Anambra people are among the most hard working, creative, enterprising and wealthiest Nigerians you can find today. They are literally unstoppable engines of wealth creations both at home and in the diaspora. The net value of real estate in terms of palatial private country homes, factories, hotels, resorts, hospitals and community buildings in Anambra state is one of the highest of any other state outside Lagos and Abuja.
    The cash component of that huge quantum of wealth has in recent times tended to complicate the political culture of the state. Big money has tempted many a political rascal to seek to wrest political control of the state. Anambra maybe the home of great cultural and intellectual sophistication, it is also a rough jungle of untamed capitalist energy. In its present state of material culture, Anambra risks degenerating into a jungle of violence and fruitless recriminations. Like all mercantilist enclaves of old, it could be commandeered by gangster families battling for supremacy over titles and other silly things.

    Onitsha is the unscripted metaphor, the troubled canvas of both the past and the future of Anambra. Its untidy womb holds both the promise and damnation of the state. The commercial cacophony of Upper Iweka, the concrete jungle of its multiple floor monstrosities and unpaved streets indicate an energy waiting to be channeled. The reality of a city with neither sewage nor drainage is a challenge of urban renewal which can only be achieved by creating jobs among the teeming youthful population. This is the signature tune of a disaster that has long waited to happen. This jungle of brick and mortar can be made beautiful and attractive to millions of commercial tourists intent on exploring opportunities in a new African miracle city. Dubai did not just happen. It rose from the rubble of an ancient spirit.

    Anambra even has the homegrown beginnings of modern industrial capitalism. On their own, indigenous enterprise has commenced an unstructured industrial revolution. Nnewi and parts of sub urban Anambra are bustling with courageous manufacturing enterprises in strategic fields from automobiles, automobile parts, industrial machinery, textiles, pharmaceuticals and chemicals. A state government that understands economics only needs to channel these efforts into a coherent strategy with a clear vision.

    While acknowledging Anambra’s advantages, Governor-elect Soludo has a very urgent task of value re-orientation to undertake among Anambra’s new breed money tribe. That community needs to waste less money and vain effort announcing to Nigeria that it has arrived. Adopting the wasteful culture of Nigeria will not bring the development Anambra needs. Anambra’s younger money tribe need to learn new investment strategies especially the wisdom of greater savings and more modest consumption. Their country homes could be more modest and functional. The man with one Mercedes Benz will get to the same occasion as the one who arrives in a motorcade of seven Rolls Royces in different colours! No one is interested in how many carats of gold that bedeck the casket of your dead mother or how much diamond you gift your many girl friends. Who cares how many barrels of vintage champagne you drown the rest of Nigeria in at your birthday parties. An Oriental Investment Fund dedicated to rapid regional infrastructure development in the Eastern corridor will bring faster and better returns for investors and to Nigeria.

    But the challenge of leadership and development in Anambra is bigger than the state. There is an unstated new mandate for Soludo and for Anambra. The state now has a heartbeat that is not theirs alone. In a nation that has been socialized to see reality first in ethnic compartments, whatever happens in Anambra resonates for the Igbos in the Nigerian homeland and their bulging diaspora. If Anambra succeeds, it will thrive for all the people who call the South East home. If it ends up a bloody disaster, the entire people who take pride in its leadership will bleed and flee the homeland.

    In Soludo’s emergence as Anambra’s governor-elect, therefore, I find a conditional hope that the Igbos could still stride forward to re-establish the leadership and confidence with which they helped in building the first Nigeria. This requires that from the outset, Mr. Soludo clearly understands his “Dual Mandate”: to transform Anambra state into a modern economy and help restore the dignity of the Nigerian Orient as it once was. Perhaps from the architecture of the present ruin in the South East, a new Jerusalem may still rise.

  • Anambra: Soludo, Deputy get Certificates of Return Friday

    Anambra: Soludo, Deputy get Certificates of Return Friday

    Anambra Governor-elect Professor Charles Soludo and his Deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim will be presented with Certificates of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday.

    Prof Soludo, a former governor of the nation’s Central Bank(CBN) won the keenly contested poll with a very wide margin to beat his closest rival, Chief Valentine Ozigbo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)with 112, 229 votes to 53, 807 votes. Senator Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC) came third with 43, 285 votes.

    The victorious Soludo contested on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), which was the same as the outgoing incumbent, Gov Willie Obiano.

    Information from the public relations department of the INEC in Awka revealed that the Certificate of Returns would be presented to Prof Soludo on Friday, Nov 12, 2021.

    That anticipated brief and colorful ceremony would climax the run up activities related to the painstaking search for a replacement for the outgoing governor Obiano who would be concluding his constitutionally allowed two terms of eight years on March 17,2022.

    Series of messages of warm felicitations have continued to pour in from top citizens across party lines, wishing him well and a fruitful era in office. They included, an APC chieftain and boss of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Dr George Moghalu, who noted that his vision to lead the state out of the woods towards better Anambra society founded on unity, love and industry and to lead a determined halt to the ever steady progressive decay in neglected infrastructures, education, health, General environmental degradation, widening poverty, youth restiveness, lawlessness/brigandage frightening high insecurity occasioned by a directionless State leadership that lacked cohesion was sadly truncated by some political merchants.

    “However”, he noted, “as fate has entrusted you with the onerous task/mandate, I and my political family will continue to pray for your success as that will gladden our hearts and benefit all citizens.

    “May the Almighty God help and strengthen you as you as you face the challenges ahead. It’s much, but we count on your ability and drive”

    Others include some of his opponents in the Nov 6 election, Ozigbo of the PDP, Ben Etiaba of the Action Alliance, and a member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Njikoka/Anaocha/Dunukofia, Chief Dozie Nwankwo who prayed for more wisdom, enablement for the incoming governor.

    He said that he has no doubt that in the spirit of APGA that he would do very well.

  • I always knew he will one day be Anambra governor, Ngige congratulates Soludo, gives kudos to Buhari

    I always knew he will one day be Anambra governor, Ngige congratulates Soludo, gives kudos to Buhari

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has congratulated Professor Charles Soludo of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) on his victory in the Anambra State governorship election.

    Ngige, in a goodwill message on Wednesday, said the victory of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the poll was well deserved.

    “Ndi-Anambra have spoken with this resounding victory,” he said. “Having contested in 2010 with Soludo, who was then the PDP candidate and myself in ACN – an election in which I was ‘awarded’ the second position even though I won outright and Soludo third, I knew that with his tenacity of purpose and drive, he would one day make it to the seat of the Governor of Anambra State.

    “It is a case in patience and endurance, an aspiration nurtured to serve the people with all his strength, I seriously believe. Ndi-Anambra I know, will hence, entertain no excuses.

    “Much has been given, hence the expectation is very high. Knowing Soludo as I do, however, I have no doubt that our people have made an excellent choice by voting him.”

    The minister also congratulated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a free, fair, and credible election, even with the initial hiccups posed by the malfunctioning of the Biometric Voters’ Accreditation (BVAS) system in some places.

    According to him, an opportunity has been offered to INEC to brace up to the challenges posed by the Anambra election, especially with the debut of the BVAS technology for more credible, free, and fair elections in the future.

    “At this auspicious juncture, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari deserves a glowing national tribute,” said Ngige. “I put on record, that Mr President had on three different occasions, assured through me, that the Anambra governorship election would be free and fair.

    “The last of such occasion being on October 14, 2021, when I conveyed the fear and the consternation of the religious leaders, elder statesmen, and traditional rulers of Anambra State, more especially that of his friend, the Archbishop of the Onitsha Metropolitan Province, His Grace, Dr. Valerian Okeke to him in his office.

    “Not only did the President ensure a level playing field for all the political parties, he directed all the security agencies to deploy into Anambra to protect and secure voters and electoral workers. A promise kept!”

    Ngige added, “Worthy of commendation in this direction, is the professionalism exhibited by the security agencies – the army, police, DSS and the civil defence during the exercise, in compliance with the wish of the President for the good people of Anambra State.

    “The election has come and gone, and it is very free, fair, and credible. Mr President has indeed lived true to his assurances to Ndi-Anambra and by this very fact, demonstrated once again that he is no enemy to Ndi-Igbo. What a better value to democracy, than a legacy of credible elections, in which the will of the people reigns supreme. May we, therefore, hail this true democrat!”

  • PDP’s performance in Anambra sign of good future’—Gov Ortom

    PDP’s performance in Anambra sign of good future’—Gov Ortom

    The governor of Benue State, Mr Samuel Ortom, Wednesday, said the future holds bright for the Peoples Democratic Party, considering how the party fared in the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State.

    Governor Ortom stated this after congratulating Prof Charles Soludo of All Progressives Grand Alliance who won the polls.

    According to him, the brilliant performance of the PDP in the election ‘is an indication that the party will harness from the experiences, and plan to do better in 2023’.

    He said the outcome of the election, a few weeks after the PDP national convention, showed that the party had been ‘rebranded, re-engineered and restrategising to takeover leadership at the national level come 2023’.

    Governor Ortom, therefore, called on old and intending members of the PDP to revalidate their membership of the party and also register new members using its online portal.

  • Agenda for Governor Soludo, By Sonnie Ekwowusi

    Agenda for Governor Soludo, By Sonnie Ekwowusi

    By Sonnie Ekwowusi

    At long last the much-vaunted, or, if you like, the much-feared Anambra State Governorship Election has been concluded with Prof. Charles Soludo (APGA) coasting to victory. By electing Soludo, Ndi Anambra have made a big statement that a State which has been producing the best and brightest cannot be governed by a never-do-well who cannot differentiate sense from nonsense. Although the Election has come and gone it has left in its trail echoes which undoubtedly will continue to reverberate across the country for a long time. Thank God the worst did not happen during the Election as was feared. Prior to the Election there were security threats, intimidation, fear of the unknown, mutual suspicion and drum beats of war in the whole of Anambra. But thank God the Election was violence-free. No killing or maiming of human beings. Having listened to the voice of reason, IPOB called off its sit-at-home directive. IPOB did not disrupt voting or unleash any violence during the Election. The lesson here is that IPOB has a listening ear. If a meaningful peace-dialogue had been initiated and brokered with IPOB all these years the killings witnessed over these years probably would have been averted. If the Federal government could dialogue with murderous Boko Haram and bandits and even offered some of them amnesty, why can’t it dialogue with IPOB?. During the Anambra Gubernatorial Election Debate organized by ARISE TV, the trio of Andy Uba (APC), Prof Soludo (APGA) and Valentine Ozigbo (PDP) were asked what each of them would do with IPOB if voted into power. And all of them respectively answered that they would initiate dialogue with IPOB in order to find a lasting solution to the bloodshed in Anambra.

    Now that Soludo has clinched victory we expect him to immediately initiate dialogue with IPOB in order to rid Anambra of violent clashes and killings. Soludo should resuscitate and strengthen the local vigilante groups in the various Anambra towns and villages. He should remedy the frosty relationship between the Anambra traditional rulers and the Willie Obiano government. Thereafter he should solicit for the assistance of the Anambra traditional rulers as well as Anambra local government chairmen and councilors in community policing of Anambra towns and villages. There should be zero tolerance for open cattle grazing in the State. To this effect, the Anambra Anti-Open Grazing law should be enforced to the letter. No compromise.

    Many complain that Soludo is an arrogant, self-conceited and a proud man who believes that he knows everything. Therefore Soludo should change this wrong attitude. Nobody knows it all in this passing life. Nobody is a single verse. We all need the assistance of one another in order to get ahead in life. So we look forward to seeing a humble and self-effacing Governor Soludo who is ready to team up with others in order to restore Anambra to its glorious days. All hands should be on deck to restore Anambra to her glorious days through the implementation of the Soludo Solution. In the spirit of politics without bitterness, Soludo should quickly reach out to Andy Uba, Valentine Ozigbo and other contestants and seek their collaboration in the arduous task of rebuilding Anambra. Prof. Soludo says he will not learn on the job because he already has a baggage of public life experience. So he should bring his Central Bank experience to bear on governance. Hopefully he should deploy his World Bank and Central Bank connections in attracting several World-bank assisted projects to Anambra State provided that such World-bank assisted projects will not be tied to dirty strings or dirty conditionalities aimed at decapitating Anambra human capital. Charles, you promised during the Anambra Governorship Debate that if elected Governor you will liaise with the private sector and Anambra medical experts in the diaspora in order to establish world-class hospitals in Anambra that will be managed by these medical experts. Please do not relent on this. Primary health care system is virtually non-existent in Anambra. Soludo should not only revitalize the Anambra Health Care Centres, he should ensure that Ndi Anambra have unimpeded access to affordable primary health care services. Soludo should reinvigorate community medicine in Anambra through the establishment of rural health centers or rural medical clinics in the nooks and crannies of Anambra villages to cater for the urgent health needs of Anambra rural women and children.

    In his campaign manifesto Prof. Soludo explicitly stated “our primary target is sustainable and inclusive wealth creation with jobs, and jobs. We target at least 100,000 jobs per annum in the medium term”. This is excellent. But if I may remind Prof Soludo, unlike the 20th century development economics, the 21st century economic development approach is more concerned about the welfare of the people rather than about government rhetoric. The 21st century economic approach is focused on the opportunity which the government is offering to the people to help them to use their God-given talents in order to create wealth for themselves so as to escape poverty. For example, in his classical essay entitled: A new Way of Thinking about Economic Development: The Origins of the Road to Prosperity, Marc A, Miles persuasively argues, and, I verily believe it to be true, that the goal of the 21st approach to economic development is to get the government to remove the economic barriers such as strangulating taxation, high Value Added Tax (VAT) (as the government in Nigeria is currently arbitrarily imposing on the citizenry) high import tariffs, lack of property rights, lack of rule of law, unfair trade regulations, shutting down important trade borders (as we witnessing in Nigeria at the moment) and so forth. These economic barriers inhibit people from freely using their God-given abilities to satisfy their basic human needs such as ordinary electricity supply, drinking water, shelter, ordinary hygiene, primary health and so forth. “In technical terms, writes Miles, it is not the level of poverty that is most vicious, but rather the absence of change or opportunity to escape that poverty.

    Therefore, rather than trying to create jobs for many Anambrarians, Prof Soludo’s government should create the enabling environment for wealth creation in the State. He should put pressure on MTN or whoever it is to fix the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway. He should lobby for the construction of Onitsha-Lagos Rail line notwithstanding that the federal government has approved the Lagos-Calabar Railway line which hopefully will run between Port Harcourt and Lagos through Onitsha. Soludo should pressure the Federal government to complete and open the Second Niger Bridge. He should lobby for the habitual dredging of River Niger. He should turn Onitsha into the Taiwan of Nigeria. There is a time for everything under the sun. There is a time for waywardness; a time for stupidity; a time for dancing naked; a time for chasing after the wind and a time for kidnapping a sitting Governor. With the successful conclusion of the Anambra Governorship Election adjudged by many as comparatively and objectively free and fair, INEC’s lapses and inefficiencies notwithstanding, I make bold to say that Anambra has witnessed a new dawn. Now is the acceptable time in Anambra. This is the day of salvation for Ndi Anambra.

  • Anambra: CLO urges Soludo, APGA to be magnanimous

    Anambra: CLO urges Soludo, APGA to be magnanimous

    The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has called on Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra governor-elect, to be magnanimous in victory by embracing and appreciating his opponents in the Nov. 6 governorship poll.

     

    “Soludo should embark on peace building and healing processes by reconciling all citizens irrespective of political affiliations,” the Chairman of CLO in Anambra, Mr Vincent Ezekwueme, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.

     

    Ezekwueme spoke shortly after the declaration of Soludo as winner of the poll by INEC in Awka on Wednesday.

     

    The CLO boss also advised the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) to be run an all inclusive administration in order to deepen democracy.

     

    Ezekwueme thanked God for the success of the election that reflected the aspirations of the electorate in spite of difficulties and some shortcomings.

     

    “Soludo should spare no efforts to ensure sustainable peace and discard services of sycophants, praise-singers and hangers on who would want to sow seeds of discord for their own selfish gains to the detriment of the state and democracy.

     

    “In wise assertion of the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe that we should always make friends not enemies, think about the best not the worst of others.

     

    “Pertinently, Soludo should admonish his supporters not to cast aspersions on defeated candidates and their political parties in order to douse tension in the state.

     

    “Soludo’s supporters should give other contestants/candidates at the poll respect and a sense of belonging because losers today may be winners tomorrow.

     

    “He should extend the hand of friendship and fellowship to other contestants, which is the beauty of democracy,” he said.

     

    Ezekwueme said that it would be an act of patriotism for contestants in the poll to display in words and actions political intelligence by not only accepting the outcome of the election, but also congratulating the winner.

     

    “We implore the contestants, most importantly, not to engage in unnecessary litigation over the poll,” he added.

  • Victory speech: Let’s come together for Anambra’s sake, Soludo woos fellow candidates

    Victory speech: Let’s come together for Anambra’s sake, Soludo woos fellow candidates

    The Governor-Elect and former Governor 9f Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr Charles Soludo, has said his victory at the polls has brought joy to the people.

    “To my fellow candidates in the election, I wish to congratulate you for the gallant contest. Our people have spoken overwhelmingly and surely, that voice is the voice of God. The ultimate winner is the Anambra people. We are all winners.I hereby extend my hand of fellowship to all of you; I need all of you to succeed. Politics aside, we are all brothers. Let’s come together for the project, Anambra. There is enough room for everyone to contribute in the service of our homeland.”

    Soludo, who dedicated his victory to three policemen shot dead by unknown gunmen during his campaign, stated this in his acceptance speech in front of his home and serenaded by his supporters shortly after being declared winner of the election.

    Soludo, who was the apex bank governor between 2004 and 2009, was declared the winner after a supplementary election was held in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday. He won 19 of the 21 local governments areas including Ihiala LGA.

    Sixty one-year-old Soludo won with 112,229 votes, beating Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 53,807 votes, and Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress who got 43,285 votes. Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressive Party polled 21,261 votes to emerge fourth.

    The Returning Officer of the Anambra Governorship Election, Prof Florence Obi, announced the result on Wednesday morning at the INEC office in Awka, Anambra State.

    Mrs Obi had announced that: “Charles Chukwuma Soludo of APGA, having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”

    Soludo said, “12 years have seen the massive clamour for the people of Anambra people for us to serve them, we persevered to this divine moment.

    “This is a divine journey whose time has come.

    “We have a very long list of people whom God has used to make this moment a reality.”

    He thanked his followers including special recognition of the members of the disability community who made his victory a reality.

    “We are humbled by the massive supports of stakeholders and Nigerian who cut across the entire country.
    “Your donations and goodwill are immensely treasured.

    “I thank my wife and our children for your love and sacrifice. Despite your deep reservation, you still allowed and supported me in search of the service to our people.

    “As I promised I will work hard everyday in order not to disappoint you. At this moment we must remember and will continue to remember all those who died in the course of this moment expecially the three policemen who were killed by unknown gunmen during our town hall meeting with youths in my ward

    “The run-up to this election and the election itself tested the resilience and the integrity of our federal institutions. Many times, there were tensions, especially as one party boasted that it must ‘take or conquer Anambra by all means’. Our institutions proved again and again that this country can achieve eminent greatness when our institutions rise to the occasion.

    “Aside from the initial hitches from the operations of the BVAS machines in some places, including at my polling unit, the election has been adjudged as the most peaceful, free, fair and credible. There is joy in the land. Kudos to INEC.

    “To my fellow candidates in the election, I wish to congratulate you for the gallant contest. Our people have spoken overwhelmingly and surely, that voice is the voice of God. The ultimate winner is the Anambra people. We are all winners.

    “I hereby extend my hand of fellowship to all of you; I need all of you to succeed. Politics aside, we are all brothers. Let’s come together for the project, Anambra. There is enough room for everyone to contribute in the service of our homeland.”

    He added that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) represented a “massive improvement” on the card readers, and urged INEC to do more to improve on the quality of elections.

  • Anambra supplementary poll: Police deny reported cases of violence, killings by soldiers in Ihiala LG

    Anambra supplementary poll: Police deny reported cases of violence, killings by soldiers in Ihiala LG

    The Anambra State Police Command and Zone 13 Police Headquarters have denied knowledge of the killing of anybody during the Governorship supplementary election which in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday (today).

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG observes that there were unconfirmed reports of violence allegedly perpetrated by members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) during the poll. Another unconfirmed report said soldiers patrolling around the distribution/collation centre reportedly shot someone dead.

    However, the Police Public Relations Officer of Zone 13 Police Headquarters, Ukpo, Nkeiru Nwode, in a reaction said there was nothing like that before the police.

    “We don’t have such report and I don’t think something like that happened”, she said.

  • Ihiala supplementary poll witness delay of election materials, personnel

    Ihiala supplementary poll witness delay of election materials, personnel

    There were still unavailability of election materials at various polling units in the Anambra governorship supplementary election in Ihiala Local Government Area as at noon.

    The election which was supposed to commence at 10am and end at 4pm has not started as election materials are yet to leave the local government headquarters.

    An Electoral Officer on duty said there were areas where electoral personnel refused to go to for security reasons.

    The officer, who preferred anonymity, identified the area as Lilu, Isseke, Orsumoghu, Ubuluisiuzo, Mbosi and Azia.

    The person said that development had escalated the situation in the area.

    Also, an official of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) had alleged that some corps members who were made available for the election were being replaced by non corps members.

    The official who refused to disclose its name, said the scheme deployed 1,000 corps to INEC for the Ihiala election but regretted that most of them were stranded and still loitering at the Secretariat.

    It insisted that the trained corps members must be deployed and paid.

    When contacted, CP Echeng Echeng, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra said that adequate security deployment had been made to ensure that the 2021 Anambra governorship supplementary election in Ihiala Local Government Area was hitch free.

    Echeng who spoke at the Uzoakwa Headquarters of Ihiala while monitoring the situation said there was no cause for alarm.

    “We have made our deployment, it is very robust and we are confident that we are going to conduct elections in every location that we are supposed to have elections in Ihiala today.

    “We are not saying that there is no fear, there is fear everywhere as far as Anambra is concerned but we have had elections in 20 Local Government Areas, this is just one Local Government Area.

    “With what we have on ground including the Police, Army, NSCDC, DSS and others, we are going to handle the situation,” he said.