Xraying The Soludo Triumph: He Set Forth At Dawn

Aloy Uzoekwe

It was the German General, Carl von Clausewitz, who opined that “politics is war by other means”. As with war, every General adopts the strategy which he believes will guarantee him victory. No political theatre typifies the war like nature of politics like Anambra State in Nigeria. Most especially the recently held 2021 Anambra State Gubernatorial Election. It had all the trappings of a looming second Nigerian Civil War. The election like the Ides of March was awaited with heightened trepidation by the populace but to the glory of God, unlike the Ides of March it has come and gone with a happy outcome.

At the end of all that was associated with the election, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, the eminent professor of Economics with global acclaim was declared the winner of the election and stands in the shade to take over as the next Governor of the South East foremost State come March 17, 2022. His victory was a sweet surprise to many given the boastful posturing of one of his major opponents during the electioneering period.

Yet the critical poser remains; what particular factor(s) facilitated and ensured the eventual victory of Soludo despite an avalanche of blocks laid in his path to stop him? How did he pull it off?

Amongst the books of our own Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, is one titled  “You Must Set Forth At Dawn”. You must start early in any venture. Soludo started early in letting people know about his ambition, even as far back as during the campaigns for Governor Obiano’s second term. He keyed in wholeheartedly into the Obiano’s project and won the heart of the incumbent with his steadfastness. But the victory was not guaranteed by Soludo’s efforts alone or the incumbency factor the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) enjoyed. It was a triumph of the people’s belief, orchestrated and demonstrated over a long period of time by their willingness to fund their fancy. Never had a politician evoked the type of passion among the citizenry like the Soludo candidacy did. The amount of enthusiasm the citizens disposed towards his aspiration throughout the period of electioneering made the eventual victory a certainty. For the first time, one witnessed individuals committed to a political cause devoid of personal gains.

Not long after the swearing in of Chief Obiano in March, 2018 for his second term in office as the Governor of Anambra State, Mr Emeka Orji (popularly called Oba Armani) in a discussion with this writer had proposed that I anchor the Port-Harcourt end of his soon to be floated support group for Prof C.C Soludo’s governorship aspiration – Soludo Solutions. I declined with the reason that it was too early in the day. I chipped in, as an advice, our people’s proverb that “nmanwu nokaria n’ogbo, afu ukwu ya (when a masquerade stays too long in the arena, people will see its legs)”. I reminded him that in Nigerian politics, the earliest birds always burn themselves out before the real contest. He had laughed off my cautions while assuring me that no time is too early or late in politics. We argued and left it at that. With the benefit of hindsight now, it is obvious that that pioneer initiative of Oba Armani, which in turn triggered off the multiplication of a chain of similar groups for the Soludo’s governorship quest over a course of three years more than any other factor ensured the phenomenal victory of the former Central Bank Governor on 6th Nov, 2021. It was these groups efforts and reach which made the Soludo personae a Brand within the State and outside the State and took its message to the deepest of crannies.

For a better understanding of the logic; at the last count just a few weeks to the election date there were more than 30 of such groups selling the Soludo candidacy to the citizenry: Soludo Solutions, Soludo Solidarity Movement, Youths Earnestly Seek Soludo (YESS), Soludo Action Group, Soludo Divine Mandate, Anambra Demands Soludo, Great Soludo Patriots, Soludo Tigers, Soludo Promoters Forum, etc. There were even prayer intercessory groups like the PAPP (Prophetic Action & Prayer Project in support of Prof C.C Soludo) etc. Each of these groups were represented in each of the 21 Local Government Areas and 326 Wards in the State. Cells for these groups were also activated in major cities in the country with large presence of Anambrarians.

Remarkably during the voters registration exercise, some of these groups mobilised Anambra citizens living outside the State to come home, register or have their voters card transferred to Anambra. They provided free transportation for this purpose. The mobilisation for the brand was unprecedented. And the amazing thing about it all was that these groups were self funded by the members. Even on the election day, these groups shared themselves into teams, according to the respective polling units, to guard the votes and ensure victory.

Ultimately, the victory of Prof C.C Soludo in the 2021 Anambra State Gubernatorial Election was a victory of the people, by the people and certainly for the people. He set out early to actualise his dream but his aspiration was boosted unassailably by the people themselves. His trajectory is a model for all aspiring politicians to study and emulate.