In a bold declaration, Valentine Ozigbo, erstwhile governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2021 Anambra State election and now a Labour Party aspirant, has pledged to dethrone Governor Chukwuma Soludo in the upcoming 2025 gubernatorial election.
Ozigbo’s proclamation came during a significant political gathering where he welcomed over 300 defectors from the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) into the Labour Party. The event, held at the Holiday Resort field in Onitsha, saw the convergence of party leaders, including member of the House of Representatives Afam Ogene and numerous stakeholders from Ogbaru Local Government Area.
In his impassioned address to the new party members, Ozigbo expressed confidence in the growing momentum of the Labour Party, citing the increasing influx of defectors from other political entities as a testament to its burgeoning influence. He urged the recent entrants to become advocates for the party, rallying support from across the state to propel Labour Party to victory in future elections at all levels.
Asserting his determination to wrest power from Governor Soludo, Ozigbo underscored what he perceived as the incumbent’s failure to meet the expectations of Anambra residents. He criticized Soludo’s governance record, highlighting alleged shortcomings in security management and dispute resolution, among other areas.
Accompanying Ozigbo’s stance, Afam Ogene, also a prominent figure in the House of Representatives, lambasted Soludo’s administration for purported policy failures and unfulfilled promises, including the absence of local government elections as initially pledged.
Pius Igwilo, a former APGA member and leader of the defectors, echoed similar sentiments, citing disillusionment with APGA’s governance and a perceived lack of fulfillment of electoral promises.
The mass defection and Ozigbo’s resolute declaration signal a mounting challenge to Soludo’s incumbency, setting the stage for a fiercely contested electoral showdown in Anambra’s political arena come 2025. As political allegiances shift and aspirations evolve, the landscape of Anambra’s governance remains in flux, poised for a dramatic chapter in its democratic journey.
