Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has said that the anticipated victory of his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) would be a foretaste of his victory in the Anambra 2025 governorship election, which is expected to hold around November next year.
He also adjudged the voting process as being seamless and an example of what an election should be.
Soludo made the observation after he voted at his Ofuiyi Square, polling unit 002, Umueze-Isuofia, Aguata Local Government Area of the state.
Anambra State held its Local Council election Saturday, eleven years after the last one was held.
Speaking to journalists, Soludo said: “Today is a promise made and promise kept. We are holding the local government election to elect the chairmen of the 21 Local government areas and councillors for the 326 wards.
“From all the calls and feelers that I have gotten from all over the state, everything is going well. The process has been confirmed to be going on very well, in fact, superlatively well. We are taking this very, very seriously.
“We put in resources, a lot of mobilisations, campaigns in all the 326 wards, because for us this is the grassroots election, the one that will help us get a feel as to how we are doing, and this is like and opinion poll as to what will happen next year, and we are not taking it very lightly.
“We have said it everywhere and to all Anambra people that this will be one good example that is conducted very transparently and creditably.
“You can see all the people here lined up voting peacefully, and it has been the same all over the state. I said to people that votes must be cast openly and transparently and must be counted, one man, one vote.”
Meanwhile, the election seemed to have been marred by poor preparations and slow deployment of materials on the part of ANSIEC.
In most polling units, as late as 1pm Saturday, electoral officials were yet to arrive polling units. In some others, no election took place at all.
A voter at Odoagba ward 11, polling unit one, Monica Eze lamented that as at 2pm, electoral officials were yet to arrive.
“I’m leaving. I have waited enough. Look at me, over 70 years, and I have been here waiting for hours, and no one is here. At least, I have satisfied my conscience that I was truly ready to vote,” she said.
The election was also marred by apathy as many residents of the state lamented that there was lack of awareness. Others said they had no confidence in the election body as only APGA was on the ballot.
