Anambra 2025: communities, groups boost Soludo's campaign funding with millions.

---

---

By Madu Obi

There is an emerging trend in Anambra State where various communities and groups have been competing with each other in contributing funds to support the reelection of Professor Chukwuma Soludo and his deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim in the November 8 governorship election.

In the past, the trend was for the governorship candidates to offer money to groups and communities as they visit them ahead of the election, as a way of soliciting for their votes. However, the ongoing Anambra State gubernatorial campaign is showcasing a startlingly new phenomenon.

Since Governor Chukwuma Soludo began his campaign, the various communities in Anambra State have continued to raise millions of naira to support him, so that he will win and continue, in their words, "the good work he is doing across the state".

Recently, the people of Oba in Idemili South local government area endorsed the governor for second tenure and backed it up with ₦50 million campaign donation.

Similarly, the people of Ekwulobia did the same thing with a donation of N80 million to support Soludo's campaign in appreciation for transforming the town to an urban city.

In fact, the financial contributions and endorsements began with Anambra students in tertiary institutions under the auspices of National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, who raised N3 million to enable Governor Soludo purchase the nomination form for reelection. This was followed by the Soludo Support Groups who donated N50m.

Later, the three Senatorial Zones, namely North, Central, and South, raised N50 million, N70 million, and N100 million in that order, while Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, donated N10 million to him for restoring sanity in all the markets in the state.

Similarly, some stakeholders in Idemili North and South raised N70 million, just as Obosi community supported the Soludo campaign with N50 million, while Amichi community also backed the mission with N50 million. The list is long.

The Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor said the significant endorsement underscores the growing confidence in Soludo’s governance, adding that the remarkable aspect of the monetary support is that it came spontaneously, without any solicitation whatsoever from the governor.

Mefor said: "The people are on their own backing Soludo’s development strides and vision for a prosperous Anambra State. As the political momentum builds, the various communities are sending a powerful message ahead of the polls, which is that they would not want to be left behind in the lurch.

The governor may end up not contributing a farthing to his own campaign, thereby setting yet another record in electioneering funding in Nigeria. It is so commendable that state resources are not deployed to the campaign. As an exemplary man of the people, Governor Soludo is reaping the reward of the good work of his first term."

According to Mefor, "The unique significance of this trend is that while other candidates are borrowing money to buy voters, Soludo’s campaign is enjoying crowdfunding by Ndi Anambra.

It is a rare demonstration of love and determination to return a hard-working governor. His opponents have since been left askance, wondering if they can ever get into the hearts of Anambra people who would not want to hear of anybody aside from Soludo."

He said further: "The phenomenon of crowdfunding a campaign counts among the disruptive changes that Soludo promised to bring to bear on Nigerian politics.

It is incumbent on all politicians to render good works such that the people can back their campaigns with their own money. This way, state resources will not be depleted in running very expensive political campaigns."

Soludo is indeed a disruptive and transformational leader. His disruptive change has now reached how campaigns ought to be funded.

The Commissioner said the situation on ground is that every community in Anambra State can count on the democracy dividends being delivered by Governor Soludo.

"The people and Mr Governor are together, working for the progress of the state that holds aloft the tag of 'Light of the Nation'. Anambra people trust Governor Soludo because he has not borrowed any money at all to undertake his landmark achievements.

He is in no way shortchanging the people who see him as a beacon of light, as opposed to some of his opponents that are daily being embarrassed by people they had borrowed money from!

For a leader deploying all the resources of Anambra State to work for Ndi Anambra, Soludo is reaping the reward through the crowdfunding of his campaign.

The crowds troop out in any community he steps into, backing his campaign with funds they raised on their own. It is always like a carnival with smiles all over the place.

The Governor Soludo crowdfunding campaign ethic deserves to be emulated across the Nigerian nation so that the resources of the state should not be dissipated in wasteful orgies of vote-buying", he stated.