Ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Anambra state, candidates of various political parties boast of their capability and determination to take over the leadership of the state from the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
In their calculations, almost eight years of the present leadership has left some areas unattended to and at such should let go of power. Some of these parties insist that their grip on the state power and leadership will bring about the needed miracle.
The major political parties all reel out their concerns for the state and reasons why power must change hands come March 17, 2014 in Anambra state.
The major political parties all had their primaries to elect their candidates according to the provisions of the electoral act. Though the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) had their issues to emergence of Senator Andy Ubah under the chairmanship of Ejike Oguebego, the PDP insisted that Tony Nwoye should fly the flag of the party having emerged the winner in the primary conducted by the National Working Committee of the party.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) nearly fell victim of double candidacy but it was quickly nipped at the bud as the court order of September 20, 2013 discharged an order recognising Dr. Chike Obidigbo as the party’s candidate but upheld Willie Obiano as the sole candidate of the party.
For the Labour Party (LP) and the All Progressive Alliance (APC) they settled for Ifeanyi Ubah and Senator Chris Ngige respectively.
The candidates represent the different zones of the state. While the PDP and APGA candidates came from the North zone where political leaders from that region insist that they should produce the next governor, the Labour party candidate comes from the South zone and the APC candidate from the Central.
With the parties properly positioned for the coming election, with their flag bearers, mind games and battle of words and boasts on which party is capable of taking over the leadership of the state come March 17, 2014.
The PDP in their effort to take over changed the party slogan to a more effective one with the candidate maintaining that Anambra is a PDP state and so APGA should exit.
For the Labour Party, its candidate that has blazed the trail for campaign ahead of others said labour party is the only party that has a clear cut vision of the solution to Anambra problems which they are prepared to tackle.
Many commentators have said that the APC stands a great chance of victory, going by the political acceptance of its candidate, Senator Chris Ngige, who believes that the party has the panacea for all the diseases of Anambra state which is hinged solely on security infrastructure.
While other parties are working hard to come in, the APGA candidate’s (Willie Obiano) worry is how to fit into the big shoes the incumbent governor, Mr. Peter Obi. He has no shades of doubt that he is taking over.