Anambra guber: Soludo, Okonkwo, Andy Uba,Ozigbo in strong contention

After months of uncertainty, the Anambra 2021 Governorship Election finally holds today, Saturday, November 6, 2021.

Although there are 18 political parties contesting the election, only candidates of three of parties are deemed to have realistic chances of victory. They are: All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Below is a brief profile of each of these leading candidates.

Andy Uba

Andy Uba, a native of Uga in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, was born on December 14, 1958 in Enugu.

After his primary education, Andy Uba attended Boys High School, Awkunanaw, Enugu, for his secondary education after which he traveled overseas for his tertiary education.

While in the United States working, Andy Uba participated in the electioneering process that brought Olusegun Obasanjo to power in the year 1999. When the election was finally won by the Peoples Democratic Party, Andy Uba was appointed Special Assistant on Special Duties and Domestic Affairs to President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In the year 2007 Andy Uba contested for and actually was declared winner of the gubernatorial election in Anambra State. However, a challenge of the election in court by Peter Obi had the entire process truncated, as the court held that there was no vacancy in the Anambra State’s Government House to warrant the election in the first place.

In April 2011, Andy Uba contested for and won election as PDP candidate for Anambra South Senatorial district.

Uba again, in the year 2015 contested for and won election as PDP candidate for Anambra South Senatorial district for a second term in the senate.

He is currently aspiring to be the Governor of Anambra State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Prof. Charles Soludo

Born on the 28th of July 1960, Charles Chukwuma Soludo, hails from Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. He has always had a knack for being a scholar. This is obvious in his academic pursuit, and his subsequent career choice as a lecturer.

Right after his primary and secondary education, Charles Chukwuma Soludo pursued his Bachelors of Science degree in Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in Enugu state. Being a scholar and a bright student, he graduated with a First-Class degree in 1984. Three years after this, in 1987, Charles Chukwuma Soludo undertook his Masters degree in Economics from the University of Nsukka, Enugu State. His PhD was also in Economics from the same university. In both of these graduate studies, Charles Soludo was exceptional as he bagged First Class results in both with various awards.

He started his career as an academia quite early. In 1998, Charles Soludo became a Professor of Economics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and in 1999, he became a visiting professor at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, USA.

Prof Charles Soludo has been a visiting scholar at the International Monetary Fund, the University of Cambridge, the Brookings Institution, the University of Warwick and the University of Oxford.

In 2003, Professor Charles Soludo joined the Nigerian government as the Chief Economic Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Planning Commission of Nigeria.

In May 2004, he became the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Also, he got an appointment from the Nigerian President, Mohammadu Buhari, to be part of the newly formed 8-member Economic Advisory Council (EAC) on the 16th of September 2019.

In 2010, he campaigned to be the Governor of his hometown, however, he lost to Peter Obi during the elections. But it seems, the erudite professor hasn’t given up on politics yet, he still aspires to be the Governor of Anambra in 2022 on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Valentine Ozigbo

Valentine Ozigbo is a Nigerian entrepreneur, banker, philanthropist, and politician, and one of the richest Igbo men in Nigeria. He was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria PLC (Transcorp). Transcorp is a conglomerate with strategic investments and core interests in the hospitality, agribusiness, and energy sectors.

Valentine Ozigbo grew up in Anambra where he had his early Education. He was born on the 20th of July, 1970.

Having always been a bright student, Valentine Ozigbo bagged various awards and prizes during the course of his education. He attended Christ the Redeemer College, Amesi, Anambra State, for his early education. After completing his secondary school education, he gained admission to study Accountancy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and graduated in 1994 as the best student in both Accounting and Business Administration. He graduated with a First-Class degree (honours), the best in his department and the entire faculty during that academic session.

Seeking to gain more academic and professional expertise, Valentine Ozigbo went on to obtain his MBA in Banking and Finance from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2000. In 2003, he won a Chevening Scholarship to study Finance at UK’s Lancaster University, graduating in 2004 with a Distinction.

He has also obtained professional qualifications from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (1998), the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (2000), and Institute of Credit Administration (2015).

Before joining Transcorp Plc, Valentine Ozigbo had worked with various top ranking organizations, including Diamond Bank, Bank PHB, Continental Trust Bank, NAL Merchant Bank, Standard Trust Bank, FSB International Bank and United Bank for Africa.

From October 2011 to December 2018, he was the Managing Director and the Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp Hotels Plc where he helped to shape the company and took it to higher heights.

He is currently aspiring to be the Governor of Anambra State on the platform of the PDP.

So who among these three smiles home with victory in his kitty on Saturday? Well, let’s wait and see.