OPINION: "Anambra Gubernatorial Elections in Hindsight" – By Rev. Fr. Chika Okpalike

I'm yet prouder to be onye-Anambra after this elections. Ndi-Anambra have spoken unanimously and unequivocally. I respect their opinion and with all sense of humility, I align myself in the spirit of Ohazurume and Anyibuofu.

My APGA friends seem to understand this as a battle producing a Victor and vanquished. So the rest of us need to be taunted. Have your field day anyway but not in the spirit of Onye-ube-ruuru. This isn't an APGA win; it's an Igbo victory. We all won!
What did I learn?

1. Someone wrote "APGA is a religion, not a political party", like someone also wrote "OHOnization  is a movement not politics". These have elements of truth. Anambra people kept faith to their belief in APGA because that's the only party with an Igbo agenda. OHOnization is a movement against the leadership and the establishment of APGA whose engagement was no longer healthy for Ndi-Anambra but the Igbo resilient spirit has just said: "we can contain it". So, a vote for APGA is a vote of identity with Oha-Ndi-Anambra in the spirit of Ahamdinaya.

2. APC is ideologically-diametrically opposed to APGA. It's establishment and political agenda is evidently anti-Igbo. Any Igbo in APC is a second class citizen and the Igbo abhors such position. For Buhari to come to Anambra, APC underscored the pride of place Anambra holds in Igboland; with Rochas Okorocha's continuous demand at the rally: "Buhari, give us Tony Nwoye", he alerted Ndi-Anambra to a looming hijack of the state. So, Ndi-Anambra reasoned: if we give away Anambra  to PDP because of Willie's mess, APC will wrestle it away from them. So a vote for APGA was a vote against APC.

3. OHOnization is a blueprint on good governance and reassuring for a better Anambra, but was driven by a political stalwart who isn't the candidate. Ndi-Anambra are done with "sponsored  politicians". The case of Chris Ngige and the emergence of Peter Obi all by himself to become the governor of the state is still very telling.

4. The votes that APGA gained weren't votes for Willie Obiano, they were votes of identity and protest votes. This APGA establishment still need to go back and study the party of Ojukwu and live out its demands.

Most importantly, Ndi-Anambra  have emphatically chosen their fate for the next four years. I hail this consensus and I respect it. Willie Obiano should learn that this second term cannot be business as usual. He is "Mmanwu Ndi-Anambra" and should take corresponding steps befitting of the masquerade. If in the last four years he was conjured up as Izaga and he danced like Ulaga, he could be pardoned for a wrong dance step. This election is beckoning Ijele. Now he should take the strides of Ijele; every step is dance. We're all waiting to be overwhelmed with astonishing performances. The rest of us with the oja, ekwe, ogene, udu etc should not do the Usulugada music for our Ijele. Usulugada bu egwu mmuo; no one survives it. Long live Ndi-Anambra! Long live Ndiigbo!