2023: How Peter Obi's Candidacy Is Unsettling Other Parties In Anambra State

After reading through the 410-paged Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) final list of candidates for federal elections (Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representatives) alongside the 894-paged document containing the final list of candidates for state elections (Governorship and House of Assembly), Peter Obi's party, the Labour Party is hungry for representatives at several offices. 

In states such as Lagos, Katsina, Borno, Yobe, Ekiti, Kebbi,  and Ondo state, the "third force" is starving for legislative contestants.

But in the presidential candidate's state of birth, Anambra, political parties and their candidates who will be on the ballot on February 25 with Peter Obi are becoming worried.

His general acceptance in Anambra state is beginning to perplex National Assembly candidates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which are powerhouses in the southeast state.

At some point, Peter Obi was a national leader of APGA and he dumped the PDP just a few months ago.

Because Peter Obi is well-loved by many voters in the state, it is growing difficult for PDP and APGA contestants to sell themselves in the state.

"Ordinarily, the battle would have been between APGA and PDP.

"But with Peter Obi's steely popularity here, most candidates of the APGA and the PDP vying for the National Assembly election are losing tactics on how to canvas for votes", Emma Diboua told AllNews Nigeria.

The top to bottom effect

Anambra is Peter Obi's home ground. Any serious presidential candidate should have his state in the bag.

Understandably, a large number of political support bases in the state and APGA alongside PDP party members have joined the Labour Party.  

The ripple effect could mean that Obi alongside Reps and Senate members who would be on the ballot on election day would sweep to victory in the state. 

The strongest parties in the state could lose their status to the party of the moment.

As we had it in 2015 during the change mantra, the Obi effect is likely to sway National Assembly votes in the state.

Sources intimated to us that some Senate and House of Representatives aspirants are growing increasingly fearful of imminent colossal defeat. 

They are working relentlessly to ensure that the " top to bottom" game which will wound them mercilessly does not succeed in the state. 

Sitting on the fence

Because of Obi's voting purchasing power with his political pedigree, some of the APGA and PDP National Assembly contestants are neither here nor there, according to our correspondents monitoring politicking and political campaigns in the state.

Our politics desk also gathered that some PDP and APGA candidates are only campaigning for themselves and strategically refusing to canvas for presidential votes for their party flag bearers.

Atiku Abubakar is the PDP presidential candidate while Professor Peter Umeadi is the APGA's presidential flag bearer.

Sources told AllNews Nigeria that some NASS aspirants from APGA have left their presidential aspirants out in several public events. 

Public affairs analyst, Damian Mba believed that they are using the strategy because they cannot afford to trigger most voters believed to be Peter Obi's supporters. 

“When they are campaigning in the hinterlands, they tell supporters that they are also rooting for Obi but posit a different posture on national fronts.

"That's why you hear Obi's supporters saying they have many silent followers", he described the APGA and PDP contestants in the state.

Even though we gathered that the candidates running for National Assembly seats in the PDP and APGA are heavyweights, the competition would have been less stiff than it is now without Peter Obi.

The likes of Senator Uche Ekwunife, an incumbent, and a ranking member of the Senate,  Hon. Dozie Nwankwo (APGA and incumbent in the House of Representatives), Chris Ubah, Senator Stella Oduah and Ebelechukwu Obiano, the wife of Anambra’s former Governor Willie Obiano are strong political gladiators who might fight the Obi support pressure at the polls. 

But Peter Obi's support base is very rich in  Anambra state and will hone other political office seekers running under the platform while unsettling the other parties and their candidates.

Peter Obi and the Labour Party will give APGA and the PDP the run for their money in Anambra State.