“APC appears in some sense, to be the preferred choice of opposition politicians in Anambra State” —Ebuka Onyekwelu
It is now exactly two months before the All Progressives Congress – APC, conducts its primary election to determine who will fly the party’s flag for the November 8, 2025, Anambra State Governorship Election. Announcing its primary election date for March 29, 2025, the APC is the first political party gearing up for the Anambra 2025 gubernatorial election to have fixed its primary election date. Therefore, the party has ample time, at least seven months after the primary election, to plan, unify, and ready itself for the general election. For a political party like the APC with a clear structure, two months is fair to campaign and have a good outing in a state like Anambra. Seven months post primary election, definitely leaves even a better chance for an organized political party that is battle-ready against the incumbent.
Beyond the timing, the APC appears in some sense, to be the preferred choice of opposition politicians in Anambra State. In other words, the party it does appear, is seen as the very viable vehicle to convey credible opposition in Anambra today. Among other things, no other political party has shown more prospects in terms of attracting new quality members like the APC. Not even the ruling State party, APGA has such attraction. In effect, the APC has attracted some of the most vibrant politicians from different parts of the state. So far, two of these new entrants have expressed interest in running for the governorship of the state on the party’s platform.
Before his sudden and shocking demise, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’s entry into the APC and interest in running for the governorship of the state was only challenged by Sir Paul Chukwuma, a founding member of the party and former National Auditor of the party. Chukwuma, a formidable figure in the party, is a long-standing party man whose contributions to the party in Anambra are undoubtedly the most elegant the party has seen. Since ending of 2023, Mr. Chukwuma commenced his “New APC Anambra” campaign. Interestingly, by the third quarter of the following year, which was in 2024, he had secured a befitting state office for the party and paid for it. He also secured imposing local government offices across the 21 LGAs in Anambra State and paid for them. Unrelenting, and to give the party a firm grassroots presence, he also secured and paid for the ward party offices across the 326 wards in Anambra State. By far, it is doubtful if there is any political party in Anambra State today with the same presence as the APC, this includes the ruling APGA.
In addition, in the last month, Anambra APC has welcomed two known political players from two senatorial zones of the state who are interested in running for the governorship of the State on the party’s platform. Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu and Prof. Obiora Okonkwo; from Anambra South and Anambra Central respectively, are gunning to contest the Anambra governorship on the platform of the APC. Both Ukachukwu and Okonkwo are two experienced politicians of means. The APC equally has the likes of Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji who has declared interest in contesting the governorship of the party, as well as Hon. Azuka Okwuosa, who also had expressed interest in the ticket of the party for the Anambra top job. In real terms, what this means is that the APC has spread across the four corners of the state.
In political terms, the quality of these aspirants who are critical Anambra stakeholders aside from being nuanced politicians, also speaks to some sort of consensus against Governor Soludo’s return. The fact on the ground is that the incumbent Anambra governor is not very popular and there are many reasons for that. The governor’s poor handling of the security situation in the state for nearly three years. In 2025, Soludo’s administration is taking a step towards addressing the security issue for the first time in an election year, after calls from several well-meaning stakeholders. The governor has also not been able to build bridges and consensus among the state’s stakeholders. There are indications that he also doesn’t exactly enjoy the goodwill of critical segments of the state that play crucial roles in election victory. As it concerns the governor’s vision for the state, what the state is experiencing at the moment is nothing comparable to the governor’s expressed vision during his electioneering campaign in 2021. The governor’s promise to conduct a local government election which he delayed beyond his own promised timeline, and ended up supervising a monumental desecration of democratic election in the state. That people are disappointed is a natural consequence of the governor’s inability to live up to the governance standards he set for himself.
In the very end, by far, the coming Anambra State Governorship Election is seriously contested, and if the APC settles for its finest and brightest in the race with national influence and mainstream reach, that candidate with a fair support base at the grassroots, and support from relevant segments of the state. The party can be fully mobilized for the outing. If or when this happens, the APC will have its best outing yet.
______________
- Holding Power to the Fire: Journalism Lessons from Rufai Oseni’s Confrontation - October 23, 2025
- NOA Issues Directive on Proper Recital of National Anthem - October 18, 2025
- Nigerian Leaders and the Frequent Certificate Forgery Conundrum - October 8, 2025