The dust raised by the recently-concluded 2021 Anambra state governorship election, has certainly not settled, despite the dismissal of the suit seeking Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s disqualification from the election. It should be recalled that on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, many people in Anambra state were greeted by the cheery news that the Federal High Court in Abuja, has dismissed the suit filed by Adindu Valentine, and Egwudike Chukwuebuka, demanding the disqualification of Professor Charles Soludo....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
As many people were still in a jubilation mood following the report, another news emerged, revealing that about 11 political parties have petitioned the Anambra State Election Tribunal, seeking the nullification of Professor Charles Soludo’s election (source: Daily Post). As obtained from the report, notable among the parties, is the All Progressives Congress (APC), whose candidate, Senator Andy Uba, is said to have claimed to be the authentic winner of the election.
Contrary to the typical actions of politicians in the country, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Valentine Ozigbo, and Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), have however, displayed rare political qualities even in the wake of the moves by these 11 political parties and their candidates. It should be recalled that PDP’s Valentine Ozigbo, who finished second in the election, had accepted the result, congratulated the winner, and moved on (source: The Nation Newspaper).
In the same vein, YPP’s Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, equally conceded defeat, and vowed not to challenge Professor Charles Soludo’s victory (source: The Punch Newspaper). These two individuals have undoubtedly shown that they respect the will of Anambra people, who voted in favour of Professor Charles Soludo. Arguably, when we consider that aside from Soludo, Ozigbo, and Ifeanyi Ubah, are the only candidates that were able to taste victory in a local government, one would have expected them to be at the forefront of the moves against Soludo.
Unlike typical Nigerian politicians, these two individuals conceded defeat in the best interest of Anambra. However, the story is not the same for the APC candidate, Andy Uba, and about 10 others who are either praying for the tribunal to declare them the winner of the election, or nullify Professor Charles Soludo’s victory for one reason or the other. The ability to accept defeat, and wish the winner well, is undoubtedly the rare political qualities which Ozigbo, and Ifeanyi Ubah have displayed even as 11 political parties have begun to make moves against Soludo’s election victory.