By Law Mefor
Prof Chukwuma Soludo is indeed a disruptive and transformational leader. His disruptive change has now reached how campaigns ought to be funded. The Anambra State gubernatorial campaign is showcasing a startling new phenomenon in the annals of Nigerian elections. What hitherto was the trend was for the governorship candidate to offer money to groups and communities as he visits in search of votes. But the campaign of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, is different! The various communities in Anambra State have continued to raise millions of Naira for the campaign of the “Solution Governor”, who they have amiably given the title of “Oluatuegwu”, which translates to “Man wey no dey fear work”, in the pidgin English lingo of the people.
Days ago, Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo and traditional rulers from five Southeast states, as well as Rivers, Delta, and Edo, also conferred on Soludo “Oku-Nyelu-Ife” (light that has illuminated).
The latest community to donate to the Soludo campaign is Oba Town in the Idemili South Local Government Area. The people of Oba got together in their numbers to receive Governor Soludo. Backing their endorsement with a generous ₦50 million campaign donation, the community leaders declared unwavering support for Soludo’s “Solution” agenda and pledged to deliver a sweeping victory in all polling units across Oba. The remarkable aspect of the monetary support is that it came spontaneously, without any solicitation whatsoever from the governor.
This significant endorsement underscores the growing confidence in Soludo’s governance. The people are on their own backing Soludo’s development strides and vision for a prosperous Anambra State. As the political momentum builds, the Oba community’s stance sends a powerful message ahead of the polls. All the other communities of the state would not want to be left behind in the lurch.
It is noteworthy that the avalanche of endorsements was started by students who donated N3m to the governor before even his declaration of intent for re-election. The groundswell was instant, as several other groups and communities have followed suit by donating to Governor Soludo’s campaign funds that vary from N10m to N100m in this unique crowdfunding.
The Governor may end up not contributing a farthing to his own campaign, thereby setting yet another record in electioneering funding in Nigeria. It is so commendable that state resources are not deployed to the campaign. As an exemplary man of the people, Governor Soludo is reaping the reward of the good work of his first term.
The unique significance of this trend is that while other candidates are borrowing money to buy voters, Soludo’s campaign is being crowdfunded by Ndi Anambra. It is a rare demonstration of love and determination to return a hard-working governor. His opponents have since been left askance, wondering if they can ever get into the hearts of Anambra people who would not want to hear of anybody aside from Soludo.
As stated earlier, the endorsements began with students in tertiary institutions in Anambra State under the auspices of NANS raising N3M to enable Mr Governor to purchase the nomination form. Then the Soludo support groups followed with N50M. The three Senatorial Zones, namely North, Central, and South, raised N50M, N70M, and N100M in that order. ASMATA donated N10m, while some stakeholders in Idemili North and South raised N70m. The Obosi community supported the Soludo campaign with N50M, and the Amichi community also backed the mission with N50M. The list goes on.
The phenomenon of crowdfunding a campaign counts among the disruptive changes that Soludo promised to bring to bear on Nigerian politics. It is incumbent on all politicians to render good works such that the people can back their campaigns with their own money. This way, state resources will not be depleted in running very expensive political campaigns.
Every community in Anambra State can count on the democracy dividends being delivered by Governor Soludo. The people and Mr Governor are together, working for the progress of the state that holds aloft the tag of “Light of the Nation”. Ndi Anambra trusts Governor Soludo because he has not borrowed any money at all to undertake his landmark achievements. He is in no way shortchanging the people who see him as a beacon of light, as opposed to some of his opponents that are daily being embarrassed by people they had borrowed money from!
For a leader deploying all the resources of Anambra State to work for Ndi Anambra, Soludo is reaping the reward through the crowdfunding of his campaign. The crowds troop out in any community he steps into, backing his campaign with funds they raised on their own. It is always like a carnival with smiles all over the place.
The Governor Soludo crowdfunding campaign ethic deserves to be emulated across the Nigerian nation so that the resources of the state should not be dissipated in wasteful orgies of vote-buying.
The question is: with the communities in Anambra endorsing Soludo and funding his campaign, is there still any need for his opponents to continue their futile race whose result is already in plain sight?
Law Mefor, PhD, is Anambra State Commissioner for Information.