Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Ahead of the Anambra 2025 governorship election, Mr Valentine Ozigbo, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in 2021, and now a Labour Party chieftain, has declared his intention to contest in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.
Ozigbo who made his intentions known while addressing journalists in Awka, the state capital, Saturday evening, faulted the present governor’s strategy and autocratic leadership style in the governance of the state.
Emphasising the need for a governor who listens and implements superior recommendations, he expressed a strong belief that he would have approached governance differently and more effectively had he won the November 2021 gubernatorial election.
He said, “I believe I can offer better leadership than Soludo. This is because of emotional intelligence which I know he does not have. To be a good servant, it is not by being authoritarian. You need to hear from people before making a decision.”
“After two years, it is imperative for me, as a citizen, to hold the Governor accountable. Governor Soludo has not performed optimally and has failed to connect with the people.”
Ozigbo who expressed optimism that the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state would be the turning point for future elections, called on party members and people of the state to unite towards achieving the dream of a better Anambra.
On the issue of zoning, he pledged to adhere to the zoning arrangement and serve only one term in office.
According to him, “Zoning is important, but it must be complemented by competence. Four years is enough for anybody who knows what he is doing and desires to make an impact. As demonstrated by Alex Otti’s work in Abia, four years is sufficient to achieve results.
“By nature, I always prefer to make an instant impact and leave when the ovation is high. I will honour the principle of zoning and I am open to agreeing to serve just one term to complete the eight years of Anambra South. Again, Peter Obi, our highly respected leader, being from the Central is also a strong supporter of zoning and would not like Central to be cheated.”
