Two weeks after the Anambra governorship election, the echoes of that exercise are yet die down.
We recall that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, lost his polling unit during that exercise.
Candidates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and the incumbent governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo swept the polls, with the APC candidate coming a distant second.
However, the Labour Party and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, being nurtured as the national coalition party, did not measure up.
Obi’s candidate lost to the APC in the LP leader’s own polling unit in Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area.
Obi’s party, LP, scored 57 votes, while APC’s Nicholas Ukachukwu secured 73 votes.
This development has generated numerous reactions as people expected his popularity to be enormous to propel victory on any occasion.
However, many others believe that the popularity of the former governor of Anambra State is still intact, insisting he was not on the ballot for the governorship election.
Obi did not keep his choice of candidate to himself. He had come out openly before the election to campaign for him.
He once posted on social media, “I will support my party’s candidate, George Moghalu despite not being in my election, but my conscience says so.”
The 2023 presidential candidate did not stop there, he went on a walk on the streets of Anambra, in solidarity for the LP candidate having endorsed him.
Obidient Movement Coordinator, Tanko said then that the Obidient family is fully on ground in every part of Anambra State.
“We have completed the inauguration of our Polling Unit Commanders across all polling units in the state totalling 5720. From Awka, Awkuzu to Nnewi and through every community, ward and village, our grassroots structures are alive, active and alert…Please be encouraged to come out and vote for George Moghalu. A vote for Moghalu is a vote for PO,” he said.
Now the concern is that despite Peter Obi and his Obidient Movement support for Moghalu, the LP candidate did not put up a strong showing.
Following the outcome of the election, the APC in Lagos State urged Obi to forget about the 2027 presidential election.
According to the party, Nigerians cannot hand over their destiny to Obi who failed to command respect in his own polling unit.
The spokesman of the Lagos APC Seye Oladejo, wondered how Obi intends to rule Nigeria when he cannot win at his own polling unit.
“A man who cannot win his polling unit has no business dreaming of winning a country. A man who is rejected on his street cannot claim nationwide acceptance.
“A man whose strongest base has crumbled cannot sell the lie of a national movement,” part of the statement read.
According to the APC, Obi’s defeat at his polling unit was a symbol of “complete disintegration of the myth around Peter Obi. And to compound the embarrassment, we sincerely hope Mr. Obi will not run to beg for foreign intervention to rescue him from this political free fall, as he has unashamedly attempted in recent times.
“Nigeria’s democracy is not a toy for desperate politicians seeking sympathy abroad after being rejected at home.”
Speaking to DAILY POST, Barrister Emma Ibediro, a former National Organising Secretary of the APC and member of the Igbo Agenda Dialogue, IAD, insisted that Peter Obi losing his polling unit meant absolutely nothing, adding that the former Governor wasn’t the one whose popularity was tested.
“Peter Obi himself has said that he was not on the ballot. He was on the ballot for the Anambra State governorship election.
“So Peter Obi has nothing to do with the Anambra election,” he said.
Asked if Peter Obi’s popularity, which helped politicians ascend political offices in 2023 was no longer available, he added, “No. Peter Obi said that as long as he is concerned he was not on the ballot for the Anambra election.
“There are contestants for the Anambra election, their own popularities have been tested. When Peter Obi is on the ballot, we’ll also test his popularity. Losing his polling unit did not test his popularity.
“He wasn’t on the ballot. What Peter Obi said was correct. He wasn’t on the ballot. He’s opinion is that whoever had won the Anambra election should work for the people.
“In other words, all the people that contested the election were all Anambra people. And he himself as somebody who is trying to contest for something bigger than Anambra governorship all those people are in his constituency. I think what he played was a statesman role.”
Some Nigerians took to social media and have been reacting to the result:
@AremuBlack said, “Even Obi is not really loved at home… He won his 2nd term election with about 30 something percent of the total votes. We all understand the reason for the sudden love.
@YettyO_Jp, “Peter losing even in his own backyard. Peter Obi’s popularity has waned even amongst his people!”
@otunbacashogy2, “Peter obi finally demystified in Anambra state. His own family disowned him…”
@stanlesz05, “To make matters worse, [he] lost to the APC.”
@Adedoyinfalade, “Baba don loose relevance … 2027. Will be a Shocker!”
@omoniyielegbel1, “Even Moghalu lost in his polling unit. @PeterObi influence is zero.”
@PeterRaph4Obi, wrote, “Peter Obi was not on the ballot. Check back in 2027 please.”
@amkeyus, “Is Peter contesting the election? If the answer is no, doesn’t that make you look STUPID…”
@Ifeanyi83342988, “You people make it seem like Obi is the one contesting, I am sure you remember Obi swept the whole of Southeast in the last presidential election.”
@KpuraAraba, “That’s how they vote in Anambra state. If it’s not Peter’s election, they don’t usually support his candidate. Put him on the ballot and see them support him en masse. It happened during Obiano’s reelection bid; Peter supported a different candidate, they ignored him.”
@Iambigiyke, “It’s not @PeterObi ‘s election, if you want to test Obi’s structure, put him on the ballot. I voted for @CCSoludo he is the better candidate. Come the 2027 elections, Obi or nothing!!!