Professor Charles Soludo, regarded as one of the most outstanding development economists of this era, may have earned himself another spot in history as he has earned the highest votes in this recently concluded Anambra State governorship election. Evidently, he has won the majority of votes, but it is not yet ‘uhuru’ given the sad experience with most highly celebrated Nigerian political elites.

There are so many reasons why Anambra and indeed Nigerians should not celebrate Soludo’s victory yet. Good students of political history and political watchers in Nigeria are wont to caution that Nigerians should not celebrate too early. Prof. Soludo may have won the poll and possibly won a lot of hearts in addition to winning support for the seeming transparency of the elections and massive votes for APGA, his political party. Nevertheless, the road ahead is still very long and rugged for the ordinary people who voted and those who may not have voted but feels this election represents their aspiration and their choice, everywhere across Nigeria and across political divides.

As one who has been part of governance and political structure since 2003, first as economic adviser to President Obasanjo and later as Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo is familiar with Nigeria’s governance problems and well abreast of the abysmal failures of the political class. Under President Buhari, Prof. Soludo is a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) which has not produced any workable and or meaningful blueprint to solve our economic problems. The PEAC has yet to take any strong actions, at least evident to public knowledge, regarding how to exit Nigeria from the very precarious state of economic decline witnessed in the recent past.

There are a plethora of reasons why Nigerians must not celebrate Soludo’s victory, albeit not yet. Chief amongst these reasons is that politicians since 1999 have shown so much disdain for the electorates after winning elections. Politicians have been known to switch and turn camps depending on the prevailing political weather without consulting the voters or public interest, except for their mostly selfish personal ambitions

The Nigerian politicians have been very untrustworthy and unpredictable, often going against their manifesto or the rules of the political party through which platforms they gained access to public treasury and power and not afraid to violate public trust and citizens interest. Nigerians should no longer be surprised about the deceits and lies of politicians who will promise everything but end up with nothing achieved after four years, except to blame ‘powers beyond our control’ or some fictitious cabal.

Anambra people need to apply vigilance and diligence and to ensure that they hold Prof Soludo to count and in ensuring the professor fulfills all promises he made leading up to this election. By extension, Nigerians must never be complacent or over-celebrate victory of any politician given previous circumstances. Prof Soludo has a very clear choice before him, either to be the same with every other past governor and politicians or be different and prove everyone right that he represents a new phase in our political history. Give him the next four years, then celebrate afterwards!

•Victor Ikem Wrote from Lagos.