‘Earthquake’ Awaits Soludo In 2027 As Obiora Okonkwo Submits APC Forms

Anambra State’s political landscape may be gearing up for a seismic shift as Professor Obiora Okonkwo, an aspirant for the 2025 governorship election under the All Progressives Congress (APC), has vowed to unseat the incumbent governor, Chukwuma Soludo, in what he described as an impending “earthquake” in the state.

Okonkwo submitted his expression of interest and nomination forms at the APC National Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.

Speaking to journalists after submitting his forms, Okonkwo expressed confidence in securing the APC ticket on April 5 and winning the gubernatorial election scheduled for November 8 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“I want to tell you that after praying and seeking God’s face, we have successfully submitted the completed forms. We have no doubt that we have entered another phase of the race and that we will be declared the winner after the primaries by God’s grace,” said Okonkwo.

Declaring his mission to oust the incumbent governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo, Okonkwo did not mince words about his determination to bring APC to power in Anambra: “Yes, power belongs to God and having submitted the forms, I totally submit to the will of God. What I am assuming is that an earthquake will erupt in Anambra to remove the rudderless incumbent governor. We will win Anambra for the APC. We will bring the state and the South East into the APC fold.”

Asked why he is confident he’ll win the election, Okonkwo said: “I am the only aspirant coming from Anambra Central, the zone where AC and ACN held sway before the party transmuted into APC. Returning to APC is a homecoming for me, and I am happy to be home. God made it possible for AC and ACN to win elections in Anambra Central before, using me and other men of goodwill to actualise them.

“I hope to lead the campaign and be on the ballot paper. We already have the advantage and with the support of the party and God Almighty, APC will win the Anambra State governorship election.”

Okonkwo further took a swipe at Governor Soludo, arguing that Anambra had suffered under his administration.

“We have only gotten pain, sorrow and agony from Governor Chukwuma Soludo instead of his promise to reproduce Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan in Anambra. Why did it take him this long to start doing something about the insecurity in the State? It is medicine after many deaths and the spirit of those who lost their lives will not forgive us if we give Soludo second term ticket,” he said.

The aspirant spoke on speculation that the presidency may have an agreement with Soludo to deliver 25 per cent of Anambra’s votes to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

According to him, the notion is baseless: “This is the time for Anambra people to pay him back. Soludo claimed that he worked for President Tinubu during the presidential election, but he did not. He only worked for himself. We have it on good authority that the letter was written by the presidential campaign of the APC to him for a courtesy visit by Mr President, but 10 times, the Chief protocol of the governor did not intentionally meet them to receive the letter. And for that reason, he could not meet the President for a handshake when he came for the campaign.

“Allowing him to win with the support of APC from Abuja means plucking your eyes and giving it to him to see based on the promise that he will deliver 25 per cent for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. Why should you go for 25 per cent when an APC sitting governor can make him win a landslide?

“We will never fall into that APGA gimmick anymore. Our president is a true party man and knows that he cannot sabotage the party. We have heard that story but our message to him is that we are not buying into that APGA gimmick. There are no such arrangements. We know that APGA was led by Dim Chukwuemeka Odogwu-Ojukwu, but today, there is no APGA…”

THE WHISTLER recalls that the last governorship election in Anambra was held on November 6, 2021, which produced Soludo, a former governor and chairman of the board of directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria, as the winner on the APGA platform.

The governor is eligible for a second term by constitutional provision.

INEC announced in October that its candidate nomination portal will open at 9.00 am on April 18, 2025 and close at 6.00 pm on May 12, 2025.

“The final list of candidates will be published on 9th June 2025. Campaigns in public by political parties will commence on 11th June 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday 6th November 2025,” INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed at the commission’s fourth regular consultative meeting with political parties.