Ebuka Nwankwo
There is mounting pressure on Governor Soludo to reconsider his current deputy, Dr Onyeka Ibezim, and instead run on a joint ticket with former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka in the upcoming 2025 Anambra election. It has been reported that Chidoka, unless there are any changes, will leave the PDP and join APGA in preparation for the election.
It is believed in some quarters that a repeat of Soludo/Ibezim ticket come 2025 will spell doom for APGA considering the fact that Ibezim holds little or no electoral value with respect to the influence APC throws around in Anambra State currently.
Insider sources have revealed concerns from Soludo’s team about Uche Ekwunife’s move to the APC, given her strong political influence in Anambra Central Zone and the state as a whole. They fear that Senator Ifeanyi Ubah already poses a strong challenge in the southern senatorial zone, judging by the performance of his former party, YPP, in the last general election. Soludo’s team believes that if Ubah is allowed to work with Ekwunife in the Central Zone without being counterbalanced by another strong force like Chidoka, who hails from a significant voting bloc, it may impact Soludo’s chances of winning a second term.
According to the insider, Soludo initially considered handing over leadership to Chidoka and had discussed the idea with bishops in the Anglican communion. The source confirmed that Soludo, unhappy with the dominating influence of Catholics in the state’s affairs, confided in Anglican bishops and wealthy Anglicans that he would prefer an Anglican to be his successor, which has earned him great support from affluent Anglicans.
However, due to the desperation of the APC to take power from the APGA government, Soludo’s team has decided to re-strategize. Instead of bringing Chidoka after his second term, they plan to bring him in now to counteract the political alliance between Ifeanyi Ubah and Ekwunife.
The source stated that Chidoka’s appeal to the people of Anambra, especially coming from a large voting bloc in Idemili, makes him the ideal candidate. It is also revealed that talks are already underway in the Party, exploring the possibility of a joint ticket, with Soludo as the governorship candidate and Chidoka as the deputy. Chidoka, who previously ran for governorship under the United Progressive Party (UPP), is believed to have a strong political foundation in the state, particularly in the Anambra Central Zone where he hails from.
Furthermore, the source disclosed that the joint ticket of Soludo and Chidoka is likely to garner support from key stakeholders in the state. However, it remains unknown how Dr Ibezim, Soludo’s former running mate, will react to this development.
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