Anambra: The numbers behind Soludo’s impressive victory

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The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has been declared the winner of the Anambra State Governorship election.

Soludo, 61, brushed aside 17 other aspirants to be elected Governor of a state after heading the country’s apex bank, Central Bank of Nigeria between 2004 and 2009.

The professor of economics had consistently bragged to be the overwhelming choice of his people to succeed party man, Willie Obiano.

Speaking with journalists on Saturday after voting at his polling unit in Aguata LGA, Soludo said he will win “even if only 100 people vote” in the election. But does the numbers affirm?

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), of the 2.5 million registered voters in the state across 21 LGAS, only 253, 388 were accredited. It, however, added that 241,523 votes counted.

Soludo, alone, garnered a staggering 112, 229, representing over 46 per cent. To put in proper context, there were 18 apirants for the position yet the ex-CBN boss picked almost half of the votes.

Meanwhile, his major rival, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had 53,807 votes, merely 22 per cent, more than doubled by Soludo.

Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC) got 43,285 votes while Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressive Party had 21,261 – equating a combined 35 per cent. The remainder is shared among the dozen other aspirants.

In terms of spread, Soludo won in 19 out of the 21 Local Government Areas. The 61-year-old was unscathed in Dunukofia, Awka South, Oyi, Anaocha, Ayamelum, Anambra East, Idemili South and Onitsha South. The APGA candidate also won in Njikoka, Orumba South, Onitsha North, Idemili North, Ekwusigo, Aguata, and Nnewi South, Orumba North and Ihiala Local Government Areas.

And in Ogbaru LGA where he lost, Soludo still gave a fight. While Ozigbo won with 3,445 votes, the APGA candidate had just around 400 fewer. However, Ifeanyi Ubah was unmatched in his home, Nnewi North.

Soludo’s numbers are impressive when compared to his potential predecessor. In 2013, Obiano managed to win by just over 30 per cent of votes. They both enjoy a similar spread across the 21 LGAs.

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