Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has expressed deep appreciation for the overwhelming support his administration has received from citizens across the state, describing it as unprecedented in Anambra’s history.
Addressing a massive crowd of supporters under the umbrella of All Soludo Support Groups during a solidarity rally at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Awka, Soludo said he was humbled by the unwavering backing from the people.
He dismissed opposition governorship aspirants ahead of the November 8 election, asserting that they were indirectly working for the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
“The feedback I’m getting from across the 21 local government areas is that when people receive good governance, it translates into political capital. You haven’t seen anything yet,” Soludo said.
He claimed that many aspirants from other parties had withdrawn from the race, realizing that there was no political vacancy.
“I have been told that even the serious ones have decided to respect themselves because they see no path forward. Most opposition parties don’t even have candidates, except for one party where aspirants are merely contesting to be noticed for possible appointments,” he added.
Soludo further declared that the major opposition parties in the state, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Young Progressives Party (YPP), had folded into APGA, while the Labour Party, according to him, was initially formed by APGA members during a brief political frenzy but had since lost ground.
“As for the APC, no one is contesting against us because progressives are working together. APC is the All Progressives Congress, and APGA is the All Progressives Grand Alliance. Anyone running there is simply putting on a show. They are all working for us,” he stated.
The governor described the upcoming governorship election as one of “political consensus” across all segments of Anambra society, including civil society groups, religious organizations, traditional rulers, community leaders, women, and youth groups.
Expressing gratitude to the various support groups for their sacrifices, Soludo promised not to betray the trust reposed in him.
“If I look at this crowd, memories of our journey come flooding back. The light of the nation, Anambra State, is on the rise,” he said, overwhelmed with emotions.
He revealed that the support groups, numbering over 60 with more than 120,000 members, had mobilized independently without seeking financial backing from him.
“What strikes me the most is that all these groups have acted on their own. Nobody has asked me for sponsorship. Instead, some have even paid for my nomination forms,” he said.
Soludo narrated how women who are petty traders contributed as little as ₦50, ₦100, and ₦200, while students pooled funds ranging from ₦200 to ₦500 to support his re-election bid.
“Their message to me is clear: focus on delivering the dividends of democracy, while they use their resources to campaign for me across the state. This level of sacrifice is touching and humbling. All I can assure you is that we will not disappoint you,” Soludo vowed.
