Anambra Zoning Debate Heats Up: Strong Opposition to Southern Candidacy After Soludo’s Tenure

Anambra Zoning Debate Heats Up: Strong Opposition to Southern Candidacy After Soludo’s Tenure.

In a charged political atmosphere, the debate over Anambra State’s gubernatorial zoning arrangement has taken a dramatic turn, as key voices warn against any attempt to disrupt the power rotation structure that has guided the state’s leadership transitions in recent years.

Prominent political stakeholders have emphatically stated that the governorship seat is expected to return to Anambra Central after the tenure of the incumbent Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who hails from Anambra South. Soludo is expected to serve a constitutionally permissible two-term tenure of eight years, after which the baton should naturally move to the Central zone, in line with the established zoning formula.

“Okwaya, enyendeba, enyendeba, enyendeba, enyendeba!” repeated one political leader passionately, invoking a traditional call to order and unity in Igbo. “Anyone from Anambra South attempting to contest after Soludo is merely trying to disrupt the zoning system that has ensured equity and peace in our state.”

He further criticised the emerging trend where some gubernatorial aspirants from Anambra South have begun campaigning with the promise of serving only a single term in office. Describing such a promise as deceptive and irrational, he stated:

“How can anybody with a functioning brain come before the people and say, ‘I will only serve one term’? Who are they trying to fool? The Constitution gives every Governor the right to serve up to eight years. Telling us you’ll do just one term is either a sign of mental instability or deliberate manipulation. Any politician making such a statement must be taken for psychiatric evaluation.”

The speaker didn’t mince words in expressing frustration at what he described as the degradation of political standards in Anambra. He lamented that individuals with questionable backgrounds and without basic educational qualifications are positioning themselves to lead a state with a rich legacy of intellectual and political excellence.

“This is the state of the great Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nwafor Orizu, Alex Ekwueme, and Odumegwu Ojukwu. We cannot afford to descend into mediocrity. We have moved far ahead as a state. We won’t hand our future over to street urchins — some of whom can’t even present a valid secondary school certificate!”

This impassioned defence of the zoning arrangement has added fuel to an already simmering political tension ahead of the 2025 governorship race. Analysts believe that while the zoning principle has no firm legal backing, its moral and political force has become a cornerstone of Anambra’s democratic stability.

Calls for adherence to the zoning agreement are now louder than ever, with expectations that all political parties will respect the rotational arrangement by zoning their next gubernatorial ticket to Anambra Central once Governor Soludo completes his tenure.

As the state prepares for another democratic transition, the message from its political intelligentsia is clear: Respect zoning, respect equity, and preserve the legacy of leadership excellence that Anambra is known for.

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