I have always told whoever cares to listen that no two elections are the same, both in socio-psychological and logistical considerations. Chief of all, the political consideration present a whole gamut of dynamics that require a certain level of detailing for proper execution.
Let me start by reminding the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he must dimension each election along these lines to clearly understand the chances of his party in winning or rigging any election. The Edo election is not a test-case or viable pilot for next year’s Anambra governorship election for reasons not so far from the fact that the APC is totally not in existence in Anambra… No ward Councillor, Local Government Chairman, State Assembly Member, Federal House of Representatives member, and Senator exist on the platform of the Party. The APC has never heldsway in Anambra at any point of its political journey. The only time residues of the party was felt in the State was the time His Excellency, Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige went to the Senate on the platform of the ACN with Hon. Tony ‘Oneweek’ Muonagor and Hon. Ebele Obi in the State Assembly on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). This was over a decade ago.
Today, since the merger that gave birth to the APC in 2014, the party has no roots in Anambra, as APGA has continued to deepen the socioeconomic development of the State across all areas and sectors. Earning for itself an indelible place in the hearts of Ndi Anambra, not just as a political party but as a movement of people with shared values and collective consciousness. This is not something a Ganduje led APC can “take” or change even in another decade.
For now, Gov. Soludo is busy with fulfilling his campaign promises and breaking unprecedented records with his never-before-seen projects and programs in the State, all under 30 months. Currently, the State is undergoing a critical local government election cycle, and as expected, the APC has fielded no candidate in the entire 21 LGAs and 326 wards in the State. If this is not enough pointer to the fact that the APC is only heard in name only in Anambra, then someone or some persons are clearly deceiving Alhaji Ganduje. The party must first seek to evangelize its programs and policies to the Ndi Anambra, telling them what they would do differently if ever considered. The question of “who” they would field against Soludo is a discussion for another day. In Anambra, APGA is rock-steady and has shown no crack or sign of caving in to any pressure. These valid concerns should form the basis of APC’s conversation, and not the rhetoric of coming to “take Anambra”. It is still a long walk. Yet, the APC is still to take any visible step into making their eerie dream a reality.
By Mazi Ejimofor Opara
