My beloved Ndi Anambra, my fellow Nigerians, today we join our compatriots across the nation and beyond to celebrate 65 years of Nigeria’s independence. October 1st is not just a date in history; it is a reminder of the sacrifices of our founding fathers and mothers who secured for us the dignity of self-rule, the pride of nationhood, and the hope of a prosperous future.
Independence Day is a time for celebration, but it is also a moment for sober reflection. We must ask: have we, as a state and as a people, lived up to the promise of independence? In Anambra, the truth is sobering. Our state, known for excellence, resilience, and industry, has sadly been reduced to a shadow of its great potential.
According to the Phillips Consulting Limited (PCL) States Performance Index 2025, Anambra is ranked 36th overall, placing us in the red zone of livability in Nigeria. This should deeply trouble us all. In road quality, our state is ranked 31st, exposing the poor standard of roads being constructed. In capital expenditure per capita, we are ranked 33rd, showing limited reinvestment into the very infrastructure that drives development. In public healthcare quality, Anambra is ranked 30th, highlighting the collapse of our hospitals and the struggles of our people to access decent healthcare. In education, we are ranked 34th, a painful reminder of how far our schools have declined and how little attention is given to the future of our children.
Insecurity has worsened. Anambra State have recorded over 300 deaths since inception of this current administration. Revenue collection has been handed over to Aka-odo touts who exploit our traders and entrepreneurs. To make matters worse, our local governments, which should be the engine of grassroots development, have been crippled. Between January and June this year, Anambra’s local governments received over ₦60.2 billion from Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). Yet, the state government hijacks these funds, leaving LGAs with barely 10 percent, only enough to pay salaries, with no meaningful impact in our communities.
My dear people, this is not governance. This is not service. And this is not the Anambra that our heroes, past and present, fought to build. But I come before you today, not only to lament, but to offer hope. For every challenge we face, there is a solution. For every setback, there is a chance to rebuild. For every pain, there is a promise of healing.
That is why I, Dr. George Moghalu, have offered myself to serve you as Governor under the Labour Party, a party of the people and for the people. Together, we can build durable roads and infrastructure that stand the test of time; revive and modernize our education system to prepare our children for the future; restore dignity to healthcare so that no Anambra son or daughter is left behind in sickness; secure our communities, ensuring that traders, farmers, and businesses thrive without fear; and empower local governments to work for the people, ensuring that allocations are used for real development and not political patronage.
My vision is simple but profound: to return government to the people, to serve with integrity, to govern with accountability, and to build an Anambra that truly reflects the greatness of her people. Fellow Ndi Anambra, independence reminds us that freedom is never given, it is won. Progress is never wished for, it is worked for. Together, we can reclaim our state from the grip of underperformance and usher in a new dawn of prosperity, dignity, and hope.
As we raise our green white green flag today, let it remind us that the promise of Nigeria and the dream of Anambra are still alive. With faith, unity, and courage, we shall build the Anambra of our dreams.
Happy Independence Day!
God bless Anambra State!!
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!
Dr. George Moghalu Labour Party Governorship Candidate Anambra State