The Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, has formally joined the Anambra state governorship race as a group known as Anambra Coalition for Progressives Change purchased the N50 million All Progressives Congress (APC) expression of interest and nomination forms for the political economist.
In his remarks while receiving the forms, Okonkwo said if APC nominate him to fly its flag in the November 8, 2025 polls the party will win landslide in the election.
According to him, the people of Anambra were distraught with the present of Governor Charles Soludu and were yearning for leader with impeccable credentials like him to take over the affairs of the southeast state.
The APC governorship aspirant alleged that Soludo was spending so much in Abuja to prevent him from flying the ticket of the APC against him because “he knows I am the candidate to beat.”
“I am calling on all those who are not happy with what is going on in Anambra state to emulate this gesture. For those who have not joined this coalition, please, this is a wake-up call.
“The man who is already boasting that he will match any kobo to kobo, dollar to dollar in any currency. Yet we are aware that he is not receiving salary as the governor of Anambra state.
“We are aware that having been a professor retired and CBN governor. Whatever his retirement benefits or pension are not for him to buy this form (nomination form).
“I have picked the form. I am prepared for the battle. We may not have the control of having the ticket but the only thing we know we control is that with the ticket in our hands, we will give a landslide victory to APC.
“I am from the central senatorial zone of Anambra state. Central senatorial zone has seven local government areas and it is home to over 60 percent of all the votes in Anambra state. And that votes are domiciled majorly in Idemili north. I am from Idemili north.
“We are coming and we are going to rescue you from the hands of a pontifical leader and then reverse all the bad trends and lead Anambra to the path of development and security.“
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Cyril Ezeani, said the group raised the sum of N50 million for the nomination and expression of interest forms for Okonkwo because he is the most competent aspirant to lead the state.
“It is simply because we have the interest of our state at heart. Chwukwuma Soludo has not given us what we want. Therefore, in the search to get somebody capable of providing for Anambra and the state, we found Okonkwo.
“We are looking forward to an individual that has a track record and pedigree to get our state to its first position. That is why after a careful analysis, we decided that the right person to occupy that post from next year is professor Obiora Okonkwo,” he added.
