Echoes of Anambra guber polls: Peter Obi’s polling unit loss divides netizens

Two weeks after the Anambra governorship election, the echoes of that exercise are yet die down.

SOCIETY WATCH recalls 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.