By Ernie Onwumere
Many people must have read the soothsayer’s admonition to Julius Caesar in William Shakespeare’s play: “Beware the Ides of March.” Unfortunately Julius Caesar ignored thesoothsayer’s warning twice and was murdered. Over time through history, not only did Shakespeare’s famous words stick in universal memory as the month of March comes around every year, some occurrences in the month are sometimes referenced with dark and gloomy connotations. So, it appears as if the month of March is fated and we are reminded to beware of its import.
Incidentally, the concluding phase of Nigeria’s 2023 general elections comes up on Saturday March 11, 2023 with the scheduled Governorship and State House of Assembly elections. Although Anambra State is not participating in the Governorship election, with a fresh government still in office, Ndi Anambra will go to the polls to elect new membersof the State House of Assembly. Should Ndi Anambra also beware of the ides of March? Well, there is genuine concern that we must recalibrate our political permutations to advance the best interests of Anambra State aside our well-acclaimed national clamour for a President of Igbo extraction.
Yes indeed, Nigerians proudly spoke with one resonant and emphatic voice in Nigeria’s just concluded presidential election. What went down on February 25, 2023 will never be forgotten as entrenched paradigms shifted and new grounds are broken. We all laboured out of love and voted our deserving son who offered hope of a new Nigeria. And despite the contentious outcome, that opportunity benefited some of his followers who rode on the platform to electoral success in diverse positions. Now, having laboured for a new Nigeria of our dream which we hope will materialize someday, it is time to rally for APGA candidates to win the upcoming State House of Assembly elections in order to secure and solidify the excellent developmental projects going on under the transformational government of His Excellency, Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR.
On March 11, we have another date with history but it is a different scenario that calls fora different selfless consideration for our homeland and its stability in development. We need to elect APGA candidates as members of the Anambra State House of Assembly who would be committed to good governance and support the governor to continue transforming the state into a modern, smart, livable and prosperous city. This is not the time to play to the gallery of sentiment or beat the drum of unhealthy rivalry. This is not the time to allow egoistic or emotive prejudice to influence our electoral decisions. This is the time for politics of pragmatism for our homeland beyond petty politicking. For it is a fact that a governor and state lawmakers who belong to the same political ideological family are more likely to work together and succeed better than a governor and legislators of divergent partisan interests bickering and working at cross purposes. A ‘Fuji House of Commotion’ will spell doom for Ndi Anambra’s wellbeing. God forbid!
It is not in doubt that Professor Charles Soludo has brought the impressive and robust development to Ndi Anambra. Everywhere you turn, the buzzing assertion that Governor Soludo has turned Anambra State into a monumental construction site rings true. It is neither a publicity stunt nor a vain indulgence in self-adulation. The verifiable evidence speaks for itself. In less than a year in office, the vibrant and tireless governor of the people has broken new grounds in pragmatic, development-oriented governance like no other before.
With over 265 kilometers of roads already flagged off and in various stages of completion across the state; modernization of tax regime and optimization of revenue generation; sanitization of traffic and environmental conditions for urban renewal and sustainable development; merit-driven, unprecedented recruitment of 5,000 teachers at a go and 2500 more to come for educational revolution; employment of 380 doctors, nursesand health workers to boost healthcare, and several other progressive projects, not in the history of Anambra State have we seen this level of record-breaking development! Even the challenge of security threats is being boldly, relentlessly confronted as criminals and economic saboteurs are not being given a foothold in our homeland.
So, which right-thinking people would be witnessing this kind of multi-faceted, state-wide development in their state and then watch it all destroyed on the altar of divisive politics? Who would see good things happening in their homeland, and then vote to throw a subversive spanner in the works? Ndi Anambra cannot afford to play politics of self-destruction at this critical moment. That is why we must beware of the ides of Marchand go to the polls on March 11 to vote APGA candidates into the State House of Assembly in order to sustain the tempo of unprecedented development being recorded under the current state government.
Let us remember, a vote for APGA candidates is a smart vote to enthrone sustainable stability and continuity in the delivery of infrastructural development beyond 2025 for Ndi Anambra. It is a vote for strengthening and smoothing our journey towards a smart, livable mega city that will be the envy of other states in Nigeria. As we have laboured for.
Nigeria, it is time to do much more for our own state and its future, because an Anambra State as our only bird in hand at this time is worth more protecting and nurturing than anyexternal goal we are still hoping for. Thus, with Governor Soludo bringing wholesome development in Anambra State today, we pray: “May the river not dry up and may the fish not lack water to swim in. Elders shall live and the young shall live. Our harvest shallbe rich.” A vote for APGA on March 11 will be how to say Amen!
Finally let us take note of our elders warning and beware of “Ogu usekwu” it will do us more harm than good.