To say that the people of Anambra State are disappointed with Charles Chukwuma Soludo, is putting it mildly. They are completely peeved. Incensed like hot coal at the turn of the state in the hands of the governor in the last four years. They have multiple reasons for their present feeling against the man, who made a great statement with his victory at the polls in 2021.

How could the governor promise so much and deliver very little? This is not only the abiding question in the heart of many, but consistently begging to find an escape route in form of explanation. Evidence of the new political phenomenon in the state is found everywhere. It is becoming more so with the approaching governorship election of November 8, 2025.

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Hitherto, the governor had been having a field day with his singular narratives, where at each gathering, he would seize the space to spill out his own side of the story, entertaining the people of the goodies awaiting them and the wonders of his performance. But that seems to have changed tremendously as fresh perspectives are cropping up about the question of real governance in the state.

His opponents are raising latent questions about the quality of his delivery to his mandate. About four years ago on the heels of the 2021 election that brought him to power, Soludo, amongst the five opponents that featured prominently in the election, had regaled the people of the state and even beyond with the flowery details of how he was going to transform the state into the Dubai-Taiwan of Africa.

So enchanting was the picture he painted and the narratives that accompanied his picturesque rendition of the new Anambra he envisaged that many people virtually took his opponents as mortal enemies for daring to stand in his way. But days have since turned to nights and vice versa and the same people have woken up wondering what hit them.

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Alas! The Dubai-Taiwan has become an illusion only in people’s imagination. The people are now realising with each passing day that they have been scammed – tricked with sweet words – gypped – conned – with the natural eloquence which he has. But it would have been quite tolerable if the Dubai-Taiwan idea had stopped at going into the audio mode. But it is not only that it is a monumental failure, but the more parlous story is found in the descent of the state into what could be described as full-scale anarchy.

Anambra is practically bleeding. The soil that hitherto produced food and bred billionaires, which put it in the envious position of the richest state in Nigeria in terms of per capita – Anambra is the state with the highest individual billionaires in Nigeria – is now soaked with blood of its own citizens. The firmament in various streets, towns and villages are suffusing with eerie stench of death. The flinching, groans, wincing of individual victims daily accentuate the wailing of those who mourn the victims.

So, nobody, who has watched events in the state as it progressively degenerates and the people practically being thrown into the abyss of despair would be surprised at the weight the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is now pulling today. The party, hitherto, one of the struggling platforms, have suddenly become a household name in the state.

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Those disputing this fact, have had their doubts cleared in the last one week since the party officially kicked off its campaign on Friday, August 8 in Onitsha the commercial capital of the state. It was a day of bold statements, both by the people and the movers and shakers of the party, who converged on the All-Saints field for the event.

The quality of reception given to John Chuma Nwosu, its governorship candidate in the November 8, 2025 election during his visit to the palace of Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, and during another meeting with the Otu Odu Onitsha, the female ruling class of the ancient town, as well as by the massive crowd who thronged the venue of the event, defying the torrential rain, foretold the new wave of political and social trajectory in the state and the place of the ADC in it.

Even though the revered monarch appeared quite taciturn and spoke in parables, the message inherent in his comments could hardly be mistaken – it was obvious that he was not happy with the direction of things, especially regarding the state of Onitsha, which he complained had been badly neglected by successive governments, despite its potentials as the cash-cow of the state.

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Before administering his blessings, the monarch left a specific message to hid visitor thus: “Never promise what you cannot deliver, simply because you want to win people’s votes, because you will have to account for such promise when they hold you down to demand that you must deliver. Many politicians not only promise these things through the words from their mouths, they even write them down. But in the end, there are no signs of delivering on these promises.

It is regrettable. Some of them have come here and said many things. They had talked about how they will transform things. But in the end, the question we ask is what you promised, have you delivered. So, my counsel to you is never promise what you cannot do. Tell the people what you can do and what is possible and not what is beyond you, only to fail to deliver.

“Look at Onitsha that is the cash-cow of Anambra State. We have not seen much of the transformation. We are disappointed at the state of physical development of Onitsha. Don’t promise what you cannot do. Concentrate on those things you can achieve and convince people on it. Anything else means deceiving the people.”

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But for the women group, there seemed no need for diplomacy. Their message was clear and direct – the ADC was the party to follow. Their own message was delivered by Iyom Chibueze Kwemto, Isi Odu, of Onitsha community. She made it clear that having tested other parties in the past, it was now time to shift loyalty and donate their votes to the ADC.

She was particularly happy that the party found accommodation for Justina Amaka Azuka, widow of the slain Onitsha Constituency 1 member in the Anambra State House of Assembly, who is seeking to replace her husband, Justice Azuka, whose body was discovered in February this year along the Second Niger Bridge, where it was dumped, about two months after he was abducted on December 24, 2024.

“We are happy that you people have accommodated her. As she continues to go along with you, she will begin to forget her ordeal and the healing process will be faster. We thank you for this gesture. We have tested other people and we have not seen much in terms of returns on our votes. So, be rest assured that we are with you,” she had told the ADC delegation, after pursing their yearly general meeting to receive the team.

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Even Nwosu, seemed overwhelmed by the quality of attendance and the enthusiasm of the people. As the crowd, hitherto confined to their canopies, surged forward, shunning the showers of rain, the Information Communication Technology (ICT) tycoon, was no less enthusiastic and left them in no doubt about the direction he was headed.

Hear him: “Today, we formally kick off our campaign for the 2025 governorship election. We need to get involved and rescue Anambra State from Governor Charles Soludo and his cohorts. Governance is not rocket science; but it is also not try your luck or making bogus promises that are unkept.

“Today, we are here to say to Ndi Anambra that you have a credible alternative to Soludo’s administration that has been tested and has failed. If Soludo did not succeed in the first four years, he won’t succeed in another four years. Soludo failed Anambra on security; he failed us on development; he failed us on the respect for the rule of law. He also failed us, on respecting our traditional institutions. Simply put: Soludo is an all round failure. He has to go!

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“Leadership hubris laced with arrogance has impacted negatively on the state. Our state, hitherto a pocket of governance excellence has regressed economically due insecurity. Under Soludo Anambra is insecure. It has become a crime scene, riddled with criminality and bloodletting. This has to change. Such carnage has to end!

“Under Soludo our people are underserved and overtaxed. He deployed brutality to collect revenue, and many have been maimed and some have died in the hands his agents. My people, Soludo’s “solution” has turned governance into Soludo’s “pollution.” We are offering a credible alternative.

“In 2017, Soludo selfishly stated that “Anambra was not broken, so why fix it?” But karma has an address. Under his watch, Anambra is badly broken and in the worse possible shape. Soludo has no solution for the challenges of Anambra. My people, Gov. Soludo has failed. Soludo has to go. Anyone supporting Soludo for a second term does not love Anambra. So, we must get involved and secure Anambra once again.

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“We must constitutionally send Soludo away. We must save Anambra from his disastrous leadership. Theory is not practical. We need practical leadership and Soludo has not offered us that. His incessant name calling is not a hallmark of good governance. Let’s send Soludo and his cabal away.

“We can longer allow Soludo to hoodwink us. Whitewashing Anambra is a big ruse. Repainting existing infrastructure built by his predecessors and the federal government is deceitful and mischievous. Where are the developments? Soludo will not be allowed to mortgage and sell Anambra to those in Abuja.”

He went on: “Let me now turn to our commitment and highlight a few key actions we will take immediately upon assuming office. Ndi Anambra, a New Nigeria is imminent. We are in a marathon race to produce that New Nigeria. But we must start from here in Anambra. We need to create a secure and enabling environment that will attract investors.

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“My Seven Pillars of good governance namely; Security, Health, Education, Economy, Enterprise, Market, and Social Welfare (SHEEEMS), will prioritizes and provide the framework for addressing Anambra’s needs. Every sector will get the deserved attention from government. Services will be seamless.

“Each of the SHEEEMS pillar will be made practical and effective via the application and prioritization of technology and artificial intelligence. We will train and incentivize our youths, in the various sectors to make them employable and competitive. Prioritization and efficiency are the hallmark of good governance. Rest assured that is what we intend to bring about. We are asking Ndi Anambra to give us their hands, their support and their votes. We promise four years of seamless, transformative and adaptive governance along these lines.”

SECURITY

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No state can prosper in fear. Under our leadership, we will deploy Hi-tech security infrastructure the best the world can offer —including finger print and AI-powered facial recognition cameras, re-trained and motivate community-based vigilante units, and provide armoured security vehicles not an ordinary Sienna buses. [Ife ọ bụla ga-akwụsị ịtọrọ mmadụ , n’ga emeya.

Within six months, we will restore peace across our communities. Safety will return to our streets; and traditional marriage ceremonies and festivals will return back to our villages.

END TO EXCESSIVE TAXATION

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The era of exploitation is over. We will abolish Ndi Aka-Odo and review the tax system. Our traders, shop owners, and small businesses are bleeding. We will restructure the tax system to be fair, growth-friendly, and humane. You will no longer pay to suffer! Form my first day I office, we will cut y 30% tariffs and charges paid by shuttle bus and keke drivers, arrow pushers and artisans.

E-GOVERNMENT FOR TRANSPARENCY

We will introduce e-Government to fight corruption, improve transparency, and enhance efficiency. With your phones, you will be able to access services, track government income, monitor ongoing projects, and even file complaints—all in real time. A government that works at the speed of technology—not the speed of paperwork.

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BURSARY FOR OUR STUDENTS

Education is the foundation of our future. We will lay more emphasis on STEM EDUCATION to make our children globally competitive. We will launch a bursary scheme to support brilliant but indigent students. No child will drop out of school due to fees.

MARKET UPGRADE & E-COMMERCE TRAINING

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Our markets are the heart of our commerce and economy. We will modernize them, retrain our traders, and prepare them for e-Commerce. This means bigger customer base, better business and our shops can stay open 24/7, if need be. Such e-commerce will be supported by registered online-based courier services.

WELFARE FOR OUR ELDERS

Pursuant to our 7th Pillar of SHEEMS, our elders who toiled and laboured before us deserve to age with dignity. We will review, revise and reform extant social welfare programmed to include monthly support for the aged ad people with disabilities (PWDS) to support them—because they deserve more than our respect; they deserve our care.

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“Finally, this is not just a promise. It is a commitment. Together, we will build a government that serves—not exploit; one that listens—not intimidate; and a government you can trust—not fear. Anambra Arise. Let’s join our hands! Let’s Get Involved!! Let’s Secure Anambra!!! Thank you and May God bless Anambra State!”

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