By CHIEDU UCHE OKOYE

Does electoral victory impose responsibilities and burdens on the victor? This is a rhetorical question that needs no answer. So as Gov. Chukwuma Charles Soludo had recorded a runaway victory in the November 8, 2025 Anambra governorship election, it is incumbent on him to listen to the yearnings of the masses, complete his uncompleted projects, and fulfill the campaign promises which he made to the Anambra people.

His victory in that election was not unexpected for the reasons that would be adduced below. He towers above other contenders for the 2025 Anambra governorship election in diverse areas. Besides that, during his first term, he had acquitted himself very well in office. So, his emergence as the winner of the November 8, 2025 Anambra governorship election was expected.

A philosopher-king, before he became the governor of Anambra state, some years ago, he had envisioned the Anambra state of his dream, which would be a replication of Taiwan-Dubai. And he made promise to the Anambra people that he would transform Anambra state positively. He made good his promise by transforming Okpoko from being an urban slum to a modern liveable space. Okpoko is, now, habitable. And it is wearing a grand and beautiful look.

Again, it is debatable that Gov. Soludo's achievement in the area of road construction and repair surpasses that of Dr. Chris Ngige, who is a one-time governor of Anambra state. Gov. Soludo's construction of new roads and his repair of bad ones in Anambra state have opened up the state for rapid industrialization and economic development. His execution of road projects in Anambra towns has enhanced the aesthetic of the environment and helped to check erosion menace in the towns, too.

More so, his leadership imprimatur can be seen in the education sector. Being a man, who sets store by education, Gov. Soludo would always quip: education is the equalizer of opportunities between children of the poor and children of the rich. His belief in that dictum impelled him to carry out policies designed to increase the quality of education obtainable in our public primary and post-primary schools.

First, he gave teeth to the free education policy, which has existed in Anambra state. Knowing that there was a shortfall in the number of teachers required for our public primary and post-primary schools, he recruited teachers for them. And he equipped some post-primary schools in Anambra state with computer laboratories, science laboratories, and modern instructional materials, which transformed them to smart schools.

However, it is not only in the area of education that Gov. Soludo's leadership impact is felt. As he abides by these dicta, health is wealth; and an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, he has gone into an overdrive and frenzy to overhaul the state's health sector and position it for optimal performance. Not only did he recruit health personnel for hospitals, but he also equipped the hospitals with pieces of medical equipment.

Again, he facilitated the formulation of the Anambra state Homeland security bills and its passage into law. And the implementation of the law has helped in the curtailment of the perpetration of crimes in Anambra state. Since the law came into being, the high incidence of perpetration of crimes in the state has nosedived to an abysmally low level as armed robbers, kidnappers, pickpockets, and others had fled the state.

So nobody can gainsay the fact that Gov. Soludo's runaway victory in the November 8, 2025 Anambra governorship election owes to his sterling and impactful leadership performance during his first term in office. He acquitted himself well in office, delivering dividends of democracy to the people of Anambra state. Coupled to his good leadership of Anambra state, his political antecedents helped in no small way in swinging electoral victory to his side.

But now that he has won his re-election bid with a landslide victory, it behoves him to fulfill the campaign promises, which he made to the Anambra people. Not a few people are expecting him to match his words with actions so as to prove to us that he did not make empty and hollow campaign promises to hoodwink us into casting our votes for him.

I remember that Gov. Soludo made a promise to the Ogidi people that he would fix the Ogidi portion of the old Enugu-Onitsha road that is flooded with rain water whenever it rains heavily during the rainy season. The flooding, which occurs on the road, making it impassable, spills into the houses, which stand behind the drainages. Addressing that flood menace is an urgent desideratum that should not be postponed.

And I still remember him making a promise to the Obosi people that he would create a local council development area for Obosi as the town has large landmass and dense population. And, he made other sundry promises to the Anambra people during his electioneering.

I would like him to know that providing good political leadership to the people of Anambra state, which encompasses the fulfillment of his campaign promises to the masses, would endear him to the people and guarantee him a revered place in the pantheon of former governors of Anambra State.

• Chiedu Uche Okoye, a poet, writes from Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State.