By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

With one day to the long awaited Anambra governorship election slated for Saturday, November 6, 2021, the die is finally cast, as candidates get on with the last dust up aimed at clinching the number one seat baton.

While one political parties is sharing two thousand and a can of malt to woo voters, another is sharing scarf, packs of Indomie, umbrella, scarf embossed with candidate’s picture, among others.

No doubt, this year’s election has been laced with fear and apprehension occasioned by the increased insecurity.

Indeed, it is an election period with a different.

For instance, there were no much campaigns on the part of political parties because of fear of unknown gunmen attacks, the state has been relatively quiet to compare with elections of the past.

Though some candidates are well known in the political chessboard if Anambra State politics, some others are political neophytes that have refused to be intimidated.

Suffice it to say that affluence partly played a role for the newbies as the line-up boasts of nothing but billionaires who are ready and willing to match cash for cash.

However, while the arena gathered momentum, the chaff was separated from the grain.

Though eighteen candidates are on the match for the one day contest, the battle has been narrowed down to three political heavy weights.

They include Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Andy Uba, All Progressives Congress (APC) and Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

The three candidates recently faced a television debate on Arise TV where they answered questions ranging from security, IPOB agitation, economy, etc.

To many political watchers, the election was won and lost during the course of the debate, but politics without doubt, goes beyond debate. Where some win in debates, others win in the battle field.

But, there is however the issue of security of voters whose votes pose as the yardstick for any candidate to coast to victory.

While the electorate are scared to come out and cast their votes, opposition parties are worried that the heightened insecurity in the state is geared towards scaring voters off voting booths so the result can be manufactured in favour of the APC candidate.

This view may not be completely out of line as voter apathy may carry the day. Afterall, nobody would want to throw away his life in exchange for a vote that the candidate will not recognise on mounting the seat of power.

THE CANDIDATES AS THEY STAND:

Prof Charles Soludo – APGA

There are indications that Soludo is the most favoured of the candidates contesting the Saturday, November 6 governorship election.

Apart from his pedigree, he is believed to have garnered enough experience built for someone contesting a governorship position.

His wealth of experience in the corridors of power as well his leadership of the Central Bank of Nigeria also stands him out as one with the honey comb.

Also coming in to play is the support of the incumbent government of Governor Willie Obiano.

However, there are fears along the party line that he may throw away the low class, less educated members of the party and embrace only the educated class that may have not played any role in the growth of the party.

It is also believed that his heightened arrogance may make him to be high handed and not giving room to varied opinions and ideas. But, in all Soludo who is likened to former governor Peter Obi is tipped as one to salvage Anambra from decay.

Andy Uba – APC

The name Uba appears to be like mentioning the name of Egyptian Pharaoh to an average Anambra indigene. This is as result of the role played by the self acclaimed godfather of Anambra politics, Chris Uba, during the period of Anambra mayhem that led to the burning of some government properties and the kidnap of Dr Chris Ngige while on seat as the governor of the state.

Though, Andy Uba was not visibly in the picture, it is believed that he was the one playing the drum while his younger brother was doing the dancing.

There is also the issue of the process that led to his emergence as the standard bearer for APC.

But, despite the stumbling blocks on his way and the inherent dislike for APC as a political party, Uba seems to have gathered momentum. Not with the quantum of people that has joined his moving train, including the sitting deputy governor of the state, Nkem Okeke.

Another barrier in his way is the general belief that the APC government wants to plant him as a stooge to be used in having a grip on Anambra State. It is believed that the government at the center sees the as the gateway to taking the soul of the southeast region towards a set agenda.

To this end, Uba was more or less imposed as the candidate of APC despite the “no primary” outcry by notable members of the party, including the Minister for Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.

Valentine Ozigbo – PDP

Though a political neophyte, Ozigbo appears to know his way around the murky waters of Anambra politics. He has undoubtedly won the hearts of many political watchers including those outside his party that are supporting his course discreetly.

Even though Ozigbo’s emergence as the party’s flag bearer did not go down well with some contestants in the party, which ultimately led to some of them jumping ship, he has continued to stroll the part like a spartan boy.

Apart from extending an olive branch to the aggrieved candidates, he also reached out to other members of the party that had a baggage of scores to settle with the party and together, hand in cap, the party stakeholders are once again moving like a family fighting for one course.

There is a general perspective that without the person of Soludo’s calibre in the race, that Ozigbo would have had an easy stride to the Agu Awka seat of power.

However, some political analysts are of the view that Ozigbo may turn out to be a puppet in the hands of former governor Peter Obi as he is the one that paved way for his emergence as the governorship candidate of PDP.

As Anambra people await a new leader that will take over from Obiano, the question remains, who will the cap fit? To political analysts, the 2021 Anambra governorship election may spring up some surprise that will either make or mar the peace the state has enjoyed in the past.