Political analyst, Cornel Osigwe, has expressed strong confidence that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) will retain power in the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election, scheduled for November 8, 2025, crediting Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s performance across key sectors.
Speaking on ARISE News on Sunday, Osigwe said there was no reason for APGA to lose sleep over the polls, insisting that Soludo’s achievements in infrastructure, education, economy, and entertainment had made Anambra a model state.
“First of all, APGA is performing, and we have had three governors now that APGA has returned, both in their first and second tenures,” he said. “This coming election, APGA will still return the sitting governor because he has done excellently well.”
Osigwe said Governor Soludo had fulfilled his manifesto promise of making Anambra a “livable, prosperous, and smart megacity,” transforming the state in unprecedented ways.
“From infrastructure to education, economy to security, Anambra has never experienced this level of development before,” he said. “The governor has constructed over 700 kilometres of roads, including some that had been neglected for 30 to 50 years. Even in slum areas like Okpoko, he has transformed them into proper cities.”
He noted that Soludo’s administration had expanded key state roads into dual carriageways, improved road networks in major towns such as Awka, Nnewi and Ihiala, and relocated the state government house from the old site to a newly constructed complex — all within three years.
“In terms of infrastructure development, the governor can be scored 100 percent,” Osigwe declared.
He also praised the government’s strides in leisure and tourism, saying:
“For a long time, Anambrarians used to travel to Asaba to take their children out for fun, but under this administration, a social fun city was built in Awka, including one of the biggest amusement and water parks in Africa.”
On education, Osigwe highlighted Soludo’s investment in public schools, which he said had raised the quality of teaching and learning across the state.
“Just a few weeks ago, a public school in Anambra won the best school in Nigeria,” he said. “The governor has prioritised education, increased teachers’ salaries to a minimum of ₦70,000, and turned many public schools into smart schools. Today, you can hardly tell the difference between public and private schools.”
Addressing the economy, Osigwe said the governor had made significant progress in ending the Monday sit-at-home, which once crippled business activities.
“The governor directed that markets should open on Mondays, and many now do. When he came into power, the state was completely shut down on Mondays. But now, people move freely and businesses are open,” he explained. “It’s a gradual process, but there’s clear progress.”
On the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Osigwe expressed optimism in the commission’s readiness for the poll, citing improvements observed during a recent by-election in Anambra South.
“I witnessed the last by-election, and INEC performed impressively. The BVAS worked perfectly, and officials were professional. It’s like they received additional training,” he said.
Boluwatife Enome
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