'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER – A leading governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, has dismissed the zoning narrative being peddled by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ahead of the Anambra 2025 gubernatorial election. He described it as a mere political gimmick aimed at misleading the electorate while reaffirming his commitment to unseating Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
Speaking at the APC national headquarters in Abuja after submitting his nomination and expression of interest forms for the April 5th governorship primary election, Okonkwo took a swipe at Governor Soludo’s recent claim that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu owes him political support as a reward for his supposed role in the last general election.
“That claim is fraudulent. There is no payback time for him; rather, the people of Anambra will pay him back for bad governance,” Okonkwo declared.
Debunking Soludo’s assertion that he worked for President Tinubu’s victory, Okonkwo insisted that the Anambra governor acted solely in his personal interest and not that of the APC.
“We have it on good authority that the APC Presidential Campaign Council officially wrote to Soludo to request a courtesy visit from Mr. President. That letter was handed over to the state chairman and secretary of the party. The chief protocol officer to the governor scheduled and canceled ten different meetings to receive that letter. As a result, our presidential candidate visited Anambra for his campaign and left without even a handshake from the governor,” Okonkwo revealed.
He argued that rather than depending on external support, Soludo should rely on his performance and the goodwill of the Anambra electorate.
“It is better for Soludo to depend on his performance and the conviction of the people rather than banking on what he can get from Abuja. There is an Igbo adage that says, ‘Nobody sees with somebody else’s eyes.’ Supporting Soludo for a second term from Abuja would be like plucking out one’s eyes so that he can see for us.”
Okonkwo further dismissed APGA’s calls for zoning, stating that it was a deceptive strategy meant to give Governor Soludo an undue advantage.
“Our party is managed by seasoned politicians who will not fall for APGA’s gimmicks. President Tinubu is a strategic politician who understands the importance of party loyalty and would not sabotage his party’s interest for the sake of Soludo,” Okonkwo asserted.
He emphasized that Anambra deserves quality leadership and that APC’s priority is to field the best candidate rather than be misled by APGA’s zoning propaganda.
“APGA was founded by the late Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, whom we all revere. However, as of today, APGA is non-existent in Anambra. What we have is the so-called ‘Solution government.’ APGA governors have benefited from the party, but the people of Anambra have not. The time has come for Anambra to connect to the center through the APC.”
Addressing the issue of zoning, Okonkwo argued that if zoning were to be considered, it should favor Anambra Central.
“Anambra South produced the first governor in 1999, who ruled for four years. Peter Obi from Anambra Central ruled for eight years, followed by Willie Obiano from the North, who also completed eight years. Soludo from the South is currently completing his four-year term. If zoning is truly based on senatorial districts, then it is the turn of Anambra Central,” he explained.
He criticized APGA for advocating zoning, claiming that their strategy was to secure an easy ride for Soludo.
“The only party shouting about zoning to the South is APGA because they know that selecting a candidate from the South would be dead on arrival. Even basic political permutations confirm this. APC is not zoning; we are choosing the best candidate to give Anambra the leadership it deserves.”
Okonkwo reiterated that APC is focused on victory and good governance rather than zoning arrangements.
“At the end of the day, we might choose to rotate leadership, but what we are witnessing in Anambra is rotation, not zoning. True zoning happens when all political parties agree and sign up to a rotation system. Since 1999, we have always had candidates from all zones contesting. This shows that zoning, as APGA is presenting it, is merely a political gimmick,” he stated.
As the APC primary election approaches, Okonkwo is positioning himself as a formidable challenger to Governor Soludo and a strong advocate for Anambra’s integration into mainstream national politics through the APC. His bold stance against APGA’s zoning strategy and his critique of Soludo’s governance have set the stage for a heated electoral contest in Anambra State.
With his political experience, grassroots support, and firm rejection of what he describes as APGA’s deception, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo has emerged as a strong contender for the APC ticket. As Anambra gears up for the crucial 2025 election, his candidacy presents a significant challenge to the status quo, signaling a potential shift in the state’s political landscape.
