In recent weeks, the signals emerging from Anambra State do not inspire confidence regarding the November 8, 2025 governorship election.
Tensions began during the build-up to the August 16 by-election, when leaders of prominent political parties resorted to public accusations, threats of violence, and other statements that reflect neither civility nor issue-based politicking.
It must be stated clearly: virtually all the major political stakeholders contesting the Anambra governorship have, at different points, shared the same political platforms.
But even beyond these affiliations, they are all bonafide citizens of Anambra State—a state renowned for its entrepreneurial excellence, historical significance, and cultural sophistication.
Given Anambra’s strategic role as the unofficial capital the South East, one would expect its leadership aspirants to possess clarity of purpose and vision. As the late Dr. Myles Munroe aptly said, “Where purpose is not known, abuse becomes inevitable.”
Anambra is a state of deep-rooted rural-urban integration, but it also grapples with challenges such as environmental degradation, urban squalor, and rising insecurity, largely due to population pressure. Urgent questions beg for answers:
How do we productively engage our growing youth population?
What measures are in place for mass housing, public transportation, quality education, healthcare access, and food security?
Yet, despite the urgency of these developmental issues, the ongoing campaign has been reduced to gutter-level name-calling and personal insults—a trend that does a great disservice to the proud history of the state.
The Legacy We Are Betraying
Anambra has historically been a torchbearer in Nigerian political leadership, producing icons such as:
- Rt. Hon. Nnamdi Azikiwe
- Akwaeke Nwafor Orizu
- Mbazulike Amaechi
- Mokwugo Okoye
- Dr. Alex Ekwueme
- Edwin Ume-Ezeoke
- Dr. Chuba Okadigbo
It is, therefore, deeply troubling that today’s political discourse is dominated by personal insults, with candidates trading barbs over who is unfit to drive a tipper, or whose mouth or armpits smell.
As someone who has lived and worked in Anambra, I find it disheartening that the two leading parties—All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and All Progressives Congress (APC)—have chosen the low road, reducing the election to an arena of mockery and empty showmanship, rather than one of vision and development plans.
What happened to the intellectual elegance of Zik, or the oratorical brilliance of Okadigbo? Is this the political heritage we wish to pass on to the next generation?
A Crisis of Character and Vision
In many ways, this moral and intellectual collapse is symptomatic of a broader crisis in Nigeria’s leadership recruitment process. When character is side-lined and substance is sacrificed for style, the result is exactly what we see now: empty campaigns of shame.
To be clear, negative campaigning is not new. As far back as 1864, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln was branded a “despot” and a “liar” by his opponents. In 2008, Kerwin Swint’s piece on CNN.com, “Founding Fathers & Dirty Campaigns,” traced the American tradition of negative politicking to figures like John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
But the crucial difference is this: while the U.S. learned from its early political chaos and rebuilt its democratic institutions, what we see in Anambra—and Nigeria at large—is the normalization of political filth without any efforts at reform.
Today, American candidates engage voters respectfully, knowing that public office is a sacred trust. But here in Anambra, candidates believe the loudest insult wins the race. It is shameful.
The Incumbent’s Failings and the Threat to Democracy
Much of the blame lies at the feet of the incumbent governor, who began this descent into character assassination.
As the chief executive seeking re-election, the governor should be campaigning on the strength of his achievements and vision. Elections are referendums on performance. If you’ve done well, you present your report card—not insults.
Sadly, the absence of any signature projects or innovative programs makes it easier for the governor to resort to name-calling, pulling others into the mud to distract from his failings.
In a state where the sitting governor won with barely 100,000 votes out of over 2.5 million registered voters, the risk of voter apathy is real—and it’s being compounded by this circus of shame.
The NRM’s Position: A Return to Ideological Politics
Amid this chaos, the National Rescue Movement (NRM) offers a radically different perspective.
Our ideology is rooted in “Politics of Ideas against Politics of Thuggery” and “Politics of Credibility against Politics of Deception.” We believe that political power is not a prize for the most abusive candidate, but a sacred responsibility to serve God and humanity.
The NRM stands for:
1. Ideological Politics
We are committed to socio-economic and political emancipation. We believe in merit-based leadership, not violence, manipulation, or deceit.
2. National Unity
Our ideology is built on national integration. We reject divisive, fear-based politics. Nigeria is stronger when we work together—across ethnic, religious, and regional lines.
3. Service-Oriented Leadership
Our party’s logo—the honeybee—symbolizes selfless service and productivity. We believe politics should be about solving problems, not enriching oneself.
A Call for a New Political Culture
What is happening in Anambra 2025 is not just about this election—it is a reflection of systemic failure in Nigerian politics. The use of campaign slurs, the absence of concrete development plans, and the lack of ideological grounding all signal a democracy in decline.
NRM’s solution is simple but profound: Introduce a new political culture grounded in ideas, credibility, and selfless service.
That is the only path to rescue this nation from stagnation, division, and misgovernance.
Okoro Chinedum Benedict is the National Administrative Secretary of National Rescue Movement (NRM).
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