Anambra House of Assembly 2019 Elections, Assessing the Dark Horses – Tonye Barcanista

The 2019 Anambra State House of Assembly election was held on March 9, 2019, to elect members of the Anambra State House of Assembly in Nigeria. All 30 seats were up for election in the Anambra State House of Assembly. The election was keenly contested by various political parties, but the dominant ones were the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), the ruling party in the state, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the main opposition party in Anambra state.

The result of the election showed that APGA won 24 seats, while PDP won 6 seats. APGA also produced the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House, Uche Okafor from the Ayamelum constituency and Pascal Agbodike from the Ihiala constituency, respectively. The election was largely peaceful and credible, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the observers.

However, the election also revealed some dark horses, who emerged as winners against the odds or expectations as well as some unexpected winners who did not win due to numerous reasons. These dark horses were candidates who either defeated the incumbents, the favorites, or the bigwigs of their constituencies, or who won in constituencies that were considered strongholds of other parties or lost in an election they were not expected to even be their party’s flagbearer. Some of the dark horses were:

Nonso Okafor from APGA, won the Nnewi North constituency, defeating the incumbent, Kingsley Iruba from PDP, who had been in the House since 2007. Okafor, a 32-year-old lawyer and philanthropist, was popular among the youth and the masses, who saw him as a breath of fresh air and a voice of the people.

Somto Udeze from PDP, won the Ogbaru II constituency, defeating the incumbent, Ifeanyi Igwe from APGA, who was also the Majority Leader of the House. Udeze, a 45-year-old businessman and activist, was seen as a courageous and determined challenger, who fought against the odds and the influence of his opponent.

Emeka Aforka from APGA, won the Orumba North constituency, defeating the incumbent, Romanus Obi from PDP, who was also the Minority Leader of the House. Aforka, a 42-year-old engineer and entrepreneur, was regarded as a grassroots and progressive leader, who mobilized and empowered his supporters and constituents.

Ebere Ejiofor from PDP, won the Anaocha I constituency, defeating the incumbent, Ikechukwu Okafor from APGA, who was also the Chief Whip of the House. Ejiofor, a 45-year-old lawyer and politician, was a seasoned and experienced legislator, who had served in the House from 2007 to 2015.

Nnamdi Chife from PDP lost the Anambra West Local Government Area Constituency to the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA candidate, Chief Patrick Udoba. The 41 year old politician who dived into the political race from his banking career fought a tough battle especially because he came against a party heavyweight to win his party’s ticket in the very first place.

Uzoma Eli from APGA, won the Onitsha South I constituency, defeating the incumbent, Patrick Aniunoh from PDP, who was also the Chairman of the House Committee on Information. Eli, a 38-year-old journalist and publisher, was admired as a young and vibrant media personality, who exposed and challenged the issues and problems of his constituency.
These dark horses proved that the 2019 Anambra State House of Assembly election was not a foregone conclusion, but a dynamic and competitive contest, where the voters exercised their power and choice. They also showed that the political landscape of Anambra State was not static, but fluid and diverse, where new and emerging forces could challenge and change the status quo. They also demonstrated that the qualities and performance of the candidates mattered more than the popularity and strength of the parties. They also indicated that the future of Anambra State politics was bright and promising, where the people could expect more representation and participation from their elected representatives.