RAYMOND OZOJI reports
As political activities approach crescendo preparatory to the November 8th governorship election in Anambra State, All Soludo Support Groups (ASSG) have unanimously sent a warning signal to all opposition political parties reminding them once again that there is no vacancy for now in the Government House because all the support groups have passed a vote of confidence on Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo for him to continue in office.
Over 60 support groups with over one hundred thousand membership comprising Soludo Support Group (SSG) Women Initiative for Greater Anambra (WIGA), Solution Vanguard (SV) Solution Marshalls (SM) Soludo Ambassadors (SA) Anambra Demands Soludo (ADS), Youths Earnestly Seek Soludo (YESS),ASUBEB Digital Teachers For Soludo, Soludo Fan Club (SFC), Solution Ladies (SL), Soludo Volunteer Force (SVF) and a host of others joined forces at a solidarity rally organized by the support groups to mobilize the grassroots for the governor as the November 8th governorship poll beckons.
The International Convention Centre (ICC) Awka was filled to the brim with thousands of representatives of the support groups from the 326 political wards of the 21 Local Government Areas of the state to assure the governor of historic victory at the polling units because members of the support groups are everywhere in the state rooting vigorously for his reelection and vowing to nib all anti-electoral activities of opposition elements in the bud.
They assured the governor of their preparedness for the November 8th governorship electoral contest as the Chairman of All Soludo Support Groups (ASSG), Convener and National Coordinator of Soludo Support Group (SSG) Hon. Chief Chinedu Nkemakonam Nwoye Glamour stated with every sense of responsibility that all the support groups are solidly standing with the governor to ensure that his second term aspiration comes to fruition.
Glamour said that the groups' support for Governor Soludo is organic and they are not collecting a dime from the government because they are self-funded. He said they were not surprised because the movement began since 2019 when they first approached the governor to come home and contest for the governorship seat.
Glamour who is also the State Chief of Protocols and Deputy Chief of Staff said the citizens are testifying that the governor is good. That come November 8th, 2025 everyone will cast their votes for Governor Soludo irrespective of political party affiliations because the governor has really mesmerized the people with his three year performance and even the oppositions are beneficiaries of his transformative governance.
He recalled that in 2019 they were only 34 support groups but today, they have metamorphosed into over 60 support groups with astronomical membership. He also pointed out that they were about 50,000 members in 2019 but now, their memberships are over 120,000 with prospects for further increments.
Although the SSG Convener told the governor that the solidarity rally was to show him profound gratitude and appreciation for the transformations in Anambra State under his watch, he noted that the rally was primarily a platform to present their own token of support and contribution to his second term reelection bid, adding that all the support groups will in no distant time organise a bigger open-air mega rally to show the governor that there is absolutely no cause for alarm and that his second term ambition is already a done deal !
Meanwhile Dr. Nelson Obinna Omenugha the Convener of Youths Earnestly Seek Soludo (YESS) said the support groups came to show the governor gratitude for accepting to contest in the first instance. He recalled with hindsight that on 7th January, 2020, some support groups visited him in his Isuofia country home and pleaded with him to come and run for the governorship seat which he yielded to.
Omenugha said no one ever believed that the governor would transform Anambra State in the way he has done in just three years. He said the support groups came to say thank you to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo for the One Youth Two Skills Development Programme, for the free antenatal and child delivery services given to Nigerian women in Anambra, for the free and qualitative education given to Anambra children, for the road infrastructure, security and other essential social amenities provided by the Soludo administration, stressing that all the support groups came to show him solidarity for his good deeds in the state.
The Convener of Women Initiative for Greater Anambra (WIGA) Hon. Mrs. Amaka Obi also recalled how WIGA and other support groups approached Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo and appealed to him to contest for the governorship seat so he can change Anambra from its deplorable condition to a befitting status.
Obi told the governor that the support groups came to say thank you that he didn't disappoint them and Ndi-Anambra. She said Governor Soludo has fulfilled all his electoral promises to Ndi-Anambra and the citizens are proud of him. That apart from showing him gratitude, the WIGA convener who is also the Executive Mayor of Idemili-South Local Government Area, said all the support groups came in one accord to ask the governor to continue in office because everyone is proud of his monumental achievements in just three years of his first tenure.
Chief Dr. Jude Okechukwu Emecheta who is the Convener of Anambra Demands Soludo (ADS) while making few remarks posited that Governor Soludo has compounded the oppositions with his achievements. Emecheta restated that the support groups expressed profound appreciation to the governor for what he has done for Ndi-Anambra in just three years in office. That even his second term would be more glorious.
Also the Convener of Solution Vanguard (SV) and Chairman of the Anambra State Local Government Service Commission Chief Barr. Vin Ezeaka, noted that Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo is a man Ndi-Anambra can trust any day any time. Ezeaka said Soludo has met and even surpassed the expectations of the citizens. He said that the governor has sold himself to Anambra people and to Nigerians in general because his achievements are unprecedented.
Meanwhile the State Coordinator of the Solution Marshalls in Anambra State as well as the immediate past National President of the Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) Chief Barr. Titus Nnabuike Akpudo corroborated what other conveners said, adding that the support groups came to show appreciation to someone who truly deserves it. Akpudo maintained that the solidarity rally was not an occasion for long speeches but an occasion to show the governor that they were with him all the way come November 8th and thereafter.
Other conveners who spoke added their voices to the endorsement of Governor Soludo, assuring that they would mobilize as well as galvanize their members at the grassroots to ensure that they deliver all the polling units in their respective political wards because they believe very strongly that Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo merited a second term in office irrespective of the malignant tendencies of opposition elements.
Responding, Governor Soludo who was apparently overwhelmed with emotions, said he was humbled by the kind gesture displayed by the support groups through the presentation of a N30 Million cheque to support his reelection.
Soludo said students, town union leaders, APGA faithful, Anambra youth groups and then all the support groups have shown him love through various donations to support his reelection.
He said he got the message that both Keke drivers, bus drivers, Okada riders and some other petty traders contributed their own token for him to run again. That he was indeed humbled by the show of love and affection, adding that what is striking about the support groups is that they are self-funded. The governor however stated that when the masses are given development, it translates into political capital.
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