By Ebuka Onyekwelu
For nearly one week now, the Anambra APC and APGA, the ruling party in the State, have been in serious exchanges. Only yesterday, Anambra State Governor who spoke through his Press Secretary cautioned APC, insisting that the party does not exist in Anambra State. This was followed by a comment by APC Chairman in the State, who said that APGA will cease to exist in 2025. In other words, he was saying that APGA will not win the 2025 governorship election.
The APC did not take the Governor’s comment lightly. Today, the Anambra APC New Media has responded to the governor, dramatizing all his promises, which he is yet to fulfil, and asking him to rather focus on his daunting job. Then, as if not enough, the Publicity Secretary of the APC has also replied the governor, admonishing him to focus on governance, while reminding him that it is not business as usual with the Anambra APC.
This is profound.
For the longest time, Anambra politics has lost every ingredient of competition, particularly in regards to the State Governorship. APGA, being in control of the state machineries, for a long, uninterrupted period of 17 years now, has dominated the State politics much so that the party had remained vaguely challenged. In fact, for years, APC, PDP, and other political parties work for APGA during Governorship election because of their inability to compete. So, for an opposition party like the APC to be standing up to APGA, it definitely signifies restoration of competitive politics in Anambra State.
While these exchanges might be about 2025 Anambra State Governorship Election, the benefits of a competitive politics last beyond election and the lifespan or tenure of an elected government. A competitive politics is an essential ingredient of a healthy democracy. Benefits of a credible and focused opposition can never be overemphasised.
I am therefore hoping that the exchanges remain neck-deep on real issues of governance in Anambra State. The exchanges should remain focused on possible alternatives that the opposition is offering and how best to make Anambra people experience good governance.
It is on the basis of these focused and issue based exchanges that Anambra voters must decide who is more prepared and better positioned to lead the State in the next election in two years’ time.
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