As Anambrarians countdown to the 2021 gubernatorial elections slated for November 6, speculation continues to swirl around who will be the state’s next governor. Party primaries have already begun to disclose the candidates that will progress to the next stage – the general election. This has heightened tensions and fuelled speculation that the real battle lies between Azuka Okwuosa, Chukwuma Soludo and Andy Ubah.
The 26th of June will be a watershed moment for Anambrarians, particularly APC supporters, when they cast their votes to determine who would lead the party to a likely victory in November. Following the announcement of Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo as the winner of the APGA primary election, the APC is anticipated to push for an excellent candidate that can win over a wider majority of the electorate.
Given the party’s abundance of talented contenders, internal party sentiment suggests that selecting a candidate will not be so easy. However, the stronger contest exists between Hon Azuka Okwuosa and Sen Andy Ubah. Both candidates have claimed a sizeable portion of the party’s membership, and the question of who would emerge victorious in the party primary elections would linger till the statistics is given the centre stage.
Given the APC’s current posture in Anambra, the party’s stakeholders are likely to make the most logical decision of selecting a candidate who best suits the current scenario. The party is currently battling to restore voter acceptance in Anambra, a river Okwuosa is managing to effectively navigate with much success.
Even more, expert political observers have rated the success prospect of Hon Azuka Okwuosa in the general elections higher than that of Sen Andy Ubah.
Sen Andy Ubah’s string of financial and educational scandals could sway voters back into the ever receiving arms of APGA’s Soludo. The recent claims levelled against him by the management and staff of Heritage Bank PLC is fresh in the minds of the public, and could easily derail his chances of defeating other parties.
On the other hand, Okwuosa’s impressive resume and spotless record would shine a bright light on the APC, as he has done since the start of his campaign. His pragmatic approach to public policy puts him ahead of Prof Soludo, who is known for enacting policies based on theories that may or may not stand up in practice. Despite the fact that Soludo is well-traveled and educated, Hon Azuka is more indigenous and relatable to the common Anambra man.
In the end, the onus is on the electorate to decide who the next governor will be. The analysis and speculations are merely a guide to the likely outcome of the governorship elections in Anambra. Until then, the issue of “who will be the next Governor of Anambra State?” will persist.
