TO get the upper hand in the November 8, 2025 election, a host of the governorship candidates have taken their campaigns to the grassroots.
In what looks like a consensus, the campaigns are as of now devoid of the usual road shows and big rallies usually witnessed in the state during governorship elections.
The major candidates for the election are the incumbent governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, who is going for second term on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA; Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. John Nwosu of African Democratic Congress, ADC, Chief George Moghalu of the Labour Party, LP, Sir Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, and Ozo Jeff Nweke of the Action Alliance, AA.
Although the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared June 11 as the date for the official commencement of the campaigns, which will end on November 6, the candidates and their political parties are still doing what they call consultations with stakeholders and endorsements by various groups.
Low-key campaigns
As these are happening, supporters and members of the various political parties are worried that the candidates are shying away from publicly engaging them ahead of the election, thereby denying them the fun associated with open campaigns.
A member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Obi Okoli observed that the candidates are not talking about the contents of their manifestoes, as their concern is how to get to the Government House after the election.
“In the past, candidates used to engage the best brains to draft their manifestoes, which spelt out their programmes for the state and the people, if elected. The document was usually made a public document, and by reading them, the people could assess the programmes of the candidates. But these days, the candidates are only plotting how to achieve victory with or without credible election,” Okoli said.
Door-to-door campaigns
Already, door to door campaigns have begun. The Chairman of Orumba South Local Government Area, Mr. Shedrack Azubuike, has started door-to-door campaign in his area for the re-election of Governor Soludo, with empowerment programmes.
He said: “Governor Soludo deserves our support to consolidate on the various achievements he has registered so far. He has carried out numerous development projects across the state for the betterment of residents. So, we are urging residents in Anambra to come out en masse on November 8 and vote for Soludo.
We are going door-to-door telling our people that a vote for Soludo is a vote for continuity and good governance. We are assuring the people that if the governor is re-elected, he will continue to deliver more dividends of democracy.”
Governor Soludo himself, has said he is optimistic that his achievements would secure him victory on November 8, adding that he is ready to showcase his achievements throughout the campaign period. For now, however, his party has segmented the campaign and adopted endorsement method by the three senatorial zones. The endorsement has taken place in Anambra North and Anambra Central, while that of Anambra South will take place on Saturday.
During these endorsements, the achievements of the governor in the past three years are elaborately highlighted. Essentially, the governor’s massive road construction and infrastructure development, as well as offer of employment to bridge the gap in various sectors, are usually on the front burner.
Zoning
One issue that has remained in focus is the zoning arrangement in the state and Governor Soludo has used this as a major plank of his campaign. “There has to be order in the governance of Anambra State and the zoning system is already in place. After Anambra South where I come from, the governorship will go to Anambra Central. Therefore, for anyone coming from Anambra South to say he is contesting the November 8 election, that person is only trying to keep the governorship in that zone for 12 years, which is not acceptable to our people.
“The zoning system in Anambra started with the Central zone with Peter Obi. When he finished, everyone agreed that for the state to maintain an order, fairness and equity has to be institutionalised. After that, it went to the North and for eight years, Willie Obiano from that zone was governor and after that it went to South and I have done the first four years. I want to assure Anambra people that after South, power will shift to Central. If anyone else from South gets to power, he will stay for eight years and that will delay the turn of the central. So, four more years for Soludo is better than eight years by anyone else, so that central can take their turn,” Soludo said during his endorsement by the people of Anambra Central.
APC to focus on grassroots mobilisation
The candidate of APC, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, who is from Anambra South, has also launched his campaign, announcing that his strategy will focus on grassroots engagement at the ward level. As a starting point, the APC candidate has interacted with stakeholders in the 21 local councils to thank them for nominating him as APC candidate. During the visits, Ukachukwu inaugurated his coordinators for all the 326 wards and informed them that with them in place, the major campaign has been executed.
Ukachukwu said: ‘I don’t want people coming to my town or to Awka to claim they are the ones delivering their local government. Everything will go directly to the wards. Each ward is expected to register at least 400 people and from July, those registered would begin to receive stipends.” He also stressed that all registered individuals must possess valid voter cards.
Also while inaugurating 52 support groups for grassroots campaign mobilisation from the 21 local councils recently, Ukachukwu added: “Our campaign will be based on each of the 21 LGAs. From there, we will move to the 326 wards and 5,720 polling units in the state. Don’t give me strategy to win the state, give me the strategy to win your wards and polling units. If we win all the wards and polling units, we will win the state election. Therefore, go home and be the director of campaign in your wards and polling units to enable us win.”
APC state chairman, Chief Basil Ejidike, also spoke in the same line, stressing: “The party will deploy grassroots-based campaign strategy to sweep the November 8 governorship poll.”
