In two days to come, the people of Anambra State will be going to the polls to elect their governor. The election has attracted local and international attention in view of the calibre of contestants as well as the controversies that trailed the election's process since last year.

So far, there are 25 candidates vying for the plum job on the platform of various political parties. As expected, in the last few days, the more serious candidates among the contestants have been demonstrating their political skills, making desperate efforts to win over the voters.

As they round up their campaigns in the last few days, the atmosphere all across the state is charged with rallies, songs and slogans seeking to portray the various candidates in the best of light before the voters. Conversely, in view of the volatile nature of the state, security has been beefed-up in readiness for any break down of law and order.

All candidates participating in the polls are expected to round up their campaign tomorrow and many of the forerunners appear to have full assurances of winning the day. However, until Saturday, none of the candidates, not even observers can say for sure who will carry the day.

Daily Trust has been on the ground monitoring the campaign and assessing the chances of the candidates, taking into cognisance feelers from the electorate. For now, many analysts have narrowed down the contest to five serious contenders. They include incumbent governor, Peter Obi of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) who is seeking for a second term, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Chris Ngige of the Action Congress (AC), Andy Uba of the Labour Party (LP) and Uche Ekwuenife of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).

However, another candidate is being described as a serious joker though some political pundits described him as fringe. Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu had ditched the PDP after he failed to secure the Party's gubernatorial ticket despite his popularity and financial influence. He is contesting on the platform of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP)

Many of the contenders outside the above six are said in some quarters to be working for political patronage. It is believed that some of them may ask their supporters to vote any of the powerful candidates at the last moment.

Barely few days to the election, political commentators are of the view that each of the perceived front-runners carries with him certain baggage which may pose an albatross on their efforts to occupy the plum office.

Peter Obi

He is the incumbent governor and is believed to have the advantage of incumbency. His perceived prudence and fiscal discipline which is assumed to have translated into massive multi-sectoral development of the state since his assumption of office has pitched him against so many political leaders and godfathers of the state. Therefore he is certainly not unmindful of the fact that he is unpopular among many godfathers.

According to political pundits Obi's troubled All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is a serious minus to him. The divisions and acrimony that bedevil the party's national leadership between is not an issue to be wished away. Chekwas Okorie is still in court battling to rescue his leadership of the party he rallied round to form. The Court of Appeal recently upheld his expulsion from the party.

However, shortly before the deadline for substitution of candidates at the electoral commission (INEC), some executive members of the party still loyal to Okorie had applied to the commission seeking the substitution of Obi. It is believed that even if he wins Saturday's election, many pre-election cases may trail his second term.

Also, opponents of Obi within APGA have vowed to abort his re-election bid arguing that four more years of Governor Obi's government would inexplicably dovetail into four more years of lack of patronage to them.

However, there seems to be a general feeling is that in the event that the Anambra election turns out to be free and fair, and if good governance is the antidote in electing a governor, the incumbent governor will have no problem in his second tenure ambition.

Dr. Chris Ngige

Ngige is one of the most popular and highly respected politicians in Anambra State. A "devout" Catholic, Ngige is a master political strategist with money bag friends across the globe.

He was sworn in as governor of Anambra State on May 29th, 2003, a position he held till 2006 when the court invalidated his mandate. During his two and a half years tenure, Ngige was reckoned with the construction of many roads across the state and other development projects.

However, the state remained in perpetually political instability and tension. Jungle justice was in thing then and these are believed to be his greatest albatross as Anambranians may be skeptical of a possible repeat of those days.

Also, knowing the way he came to power in 2003, Ngige is perceived as a desperate politician, one who can go the extra-mile to acquire power even if it is at the expense of decency and morality.

Moreso, his then signing of several pre-dated resignation letters, the patronage of Infamous Okija Shrine, according to pundits, translated to desecrating the exalted office of governor and thus a minus to his renewed bid to stage a comeback.

There is also the issue of the platform on which he is running. The Action Congress (AC) is perceived as a South-West-dominated party. More so the AC is patently weak in the South East and especially Anambra state as it is known to lack structure and grass root support.

Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo

Soludo in all standard is an intellectual icon with positive historical administrative antecedents. His campaign structure - Soludo Solution- justifies his track records of achievement as the immediate past Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria . However, he is described locally as the candidate of the courts not that of the majority of the members of PDP in Anambra State. His emergence as PDP candidate was shrouded with controversy but the man is intellectually sound with age in his favour.

Political pundits in the state insisted that his draw backs as regards his governorship ambition are multifaceted. Apart from being a green horn in politics, he is too decent for the turbulence associated with Anambra Politics.

Chief Andy Uba

Dr. Andy Uba is a dogged but controversial politician who ruled the state for 17 days (i.e. May 29th, 2007 - June 14th, 2007) before the Supreme Court upturned his mandate on June 14th 2007 on the ground that there was no vacancy when he was purportedly elected on the April 14, 2007.

He is an acclaimed maverick politician known for his stupendous wealth and political sagacity. He is also philanthropy personified.

The perceived minus of the Labour Party candidate has to do with his family's name and image. For some time now, the Uba family have been associated with notoriety considering the antecedent of he and his immediate younger brother - Chris Uba.

More so Labour Party is relatively unknown in Anambra State without visible structure and fellowership. He is also known to have fallen out with so many of his political supporters including his brother.

Uche Ekwunife

Ekwunife who is the more powerful of the two women in the race is a serving member of the Federal House of Representatives. She dumped the troubled PDP and joined Chief Orji Uzor Kalu's Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA) to actualise her ambition.

At the controversial PPA Primaries, Ekwunife, against all odds, wrestled the party ticket from other most favoured male opponents including money bag Mr. Emeka Etiaba, son of the incumbent Deputy Governor of the State, Dame Virgy Etiaba. She is said to be largely counting on the votes of women who believe that one of theirs will better serve their interest. But some observers also say that her gender is one of her weakness in the election because the political godfathers will hardly sit and watch her emerge as governor. It is also doubtful if she has the kind of money the other candidates have to pull through. In any case, many say this is politics where anything can happen.

By and large, the role of INEC and security agents in this election is fundamental in ensuring that the ethics of the electoral processes are strictly adhered to in other to have the choice of the people emerge as governor after the election. This is why observers say that the Anambra election is a litmus test to justify for what to expect in the 2011 general polls.