With the 2027 General Elections in less than one year, politicians are now scheming for the ticket of their parties for various elective positions. Already, many have declared interest in contesting the 2027 National Assembly and State Assembly elections, which are the two categories of elections to be held in Anambra State. So far, the All Progressives Grand Alliance – APGA, has enjoyed considerable patronage as many aspirants declare to contest on the party’s platform. Following from a distance is the African Democratic Congress – ADC, which has two serving senators and multiple serving members of the House of Representatives, who defected from the Labour Party. While APGA is the ruling party in Anambra, the ADC’s influence is tied to the Labour Party’s outing in the 2023 General Election.
So far, in the Anambra South senatorial zone, no fewer than three APGA contenders have rejigged their teams in preparation for the contest next year. Chief Akai Egwuonwu, businessman and industrialist who contested the by-election last August, has set his team in motion as he gears up to throw himself into the ring for the contest next year. There are clear indications that the incumbent senator, Chief Emma Nwachukwu, is also preparing to re-contest. Both Senator Nwachukwu and Chief Egwuonwu are from Nnewi South local government area. Similarly, businessman Chief Ebuka Onunkwo has set in motion his interest to contest the seat. He has intensified consultations and has activated his groups as he prepares for the senatorial race. However, the member representing Ihiala Federal Constituency and former Deputy Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Pascal Agbodike, is consulting to join the race. He has not formally declared, but it would be very unlikely for him not to join the race. Also, Hon. Ifeanyi Momah, from Ihiala, is suspected to be interested in contesting the Senate seat. In contrast, the closest rival to APGA in the next year’s election, ADC, has no senatorial aspirant yet in Anambra South. For now, only a few House of Representatives seats have aspirants who have expressed interest in contesting. The interest is higher in the Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo House of Representatives seat. In APGA, there are more than a handful of aspirants. The Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo House of Representatives seat, has more than two serious aspirants, including Hon. Chinedu Anyaso from Ekwulumili. From many indications, the Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo federal constituency is looking like the most interesting federal constituency in the 2027 election cycle. The APC has at least two aspirants for the constituency, including Chief Vin Onyeka and Mr. Onyedika Chukwuma. Yet, by far, APGA seems to be dominating the space almost as if there were no rivals. Anambra South is different in many ways. It is the only zone where the Labour Party failed to win a single House of Representatives seat, but only managed to win a lone State Assembly seat in 2023, which the party has lost to the APC. No other senatorial zone in Anambra State has the same record in the 2023 election cycle.
In Anambra North, aspirants have shown strong interest in the 2027 General Election. But again, APGA appears to be the leading political party ahead of the 2027 contest in the zone. For the senatorial election, APGA parades the likes of Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, an experienced politician from Onitsha, who commands an enormous quiet strength. He currently serves as the Governor’s Adviser on Political Affairs. Yet, in APGA, there is Senator Stella Oduah, who recently rejoined the party, and the impression is that she is coming to run for the Anambra North senatorial seat on the party’s platform. However, the incumbent senator for Anambra North, Dr. Tony Nwoye, is preparing to return; he is now in the ADC. In the zone, APGA shows far more strength, with depth of popularity among politicians in the zone who appear to prefer APGA over other political parties. In 2023, the Labour Party shared the zone’s state and federal constituency seats with APGA, while APGA conceded the senatorial seat to it in addition. This time around, the stakes appear to be different. Last August, ADC lost its first test in the Onitsha North 1 State Constituency by-election to APGA. That might be a sign of what is to come next year.
Anambra Central, by far, is the weakest link in the 2027 General Election for APGA, for now. So far, no one has shown any serious interest in challenging Senator Victor Umeh of the ADC in APGA or another party. Senator Uche Ekwunife, who can duly be regarded as Umeh’s nemesis, appears to be uninterested in the coming General Election, and that would be the first time in nearly two decades she is not on the ballot. Uzu Okagbue, another good competitor for Senator Umeh, has not taken a stand on whether to run or not to run. Finally, Hon. Dozie Nwankwo, the 2023 APGA candidate for the senatorial election, does not appear to be ready for the contest. But it is left to be seen. From all possible outlooks, it appears that many APGA members in Anambra Central are quietly scheming for the party’s governorship ticket when Governor Charles Soludo completes his second term in 20230. For APGA in Anambra Central now, only Idemili North and Idemili South Federal Constituency is bubbling with at least two strong contenders in the persons of Hon. Ifeanyi Ibezi and Chief Ikenna Iyiegbu. In the ADC, the incumbent member of the House, Hon. Uchenna Okonkwo, is preparing for a possible return. However, Barrister Ifeanyi Mbanusi is gearing up to pick the ADC ticket.
From the above, one thing is clear: politicians are showing less interest in opposition. Even more, there is a clear indication that while APGA is doing well and is considered a credible platform by politicians in Anambra South and Anambra North districts, this seems to be different for politicians in Anambra Central. If the APGA candidate selection processes are seen to be fair and just, the import is that the party would perform remarkably better than other parties, especially in Anambra South and Anambra North senatorial zones in all the elections. Performance in Anambra Central will depend largely on how the APGA strategizes to contend heavily against the ADC, its closest rival in the zone. But, the 2027 General Election looks like APGA would be having its best outing in Anambra since coming to power in 2006.
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