AHEAD of the 2027 general elections, President Bola Tinubu’s second term got a major boost as Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, yesterday, declared that the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, has adopted him as its presidential candidate (Tinubu).

Soludo made the declaration when the President paid a one-day working visit to commission projects.

APGA’s adoption was received with mixed reactions from stakeholders in the South-East.

While it is seen as a major boost for the president as his support base continues to widen in the South-East and South-South zones, critics argue that adoption was done in desperation.

Already, the All Progressives Congress, APC, controls two (Imo and Ebonyi) out of the five states in the South-East zone.

As it stands, the President may be having an edge in the zone as another South-East governor, who is seen as his close ally, may support Tinubu’s second term ambition.

Last week, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, his predecessor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and the structure of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, moved to the APC.

Similarly, six members of the House of Representatives announced their defections to the APC.

Also, members of the Delta State House of Assembly, including the Speaker, Mr. Emomotimi Guwor,  formally defected from the PDP to the APC.

During the week, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, two other lawmakers, Sunny Ifada and Yekini Idaiye and former council chairmen pitched their tent with the APC.

Why we’re supporting Tinubu — Soludo

Governor Soludo, who explained the decision of APGA to support Tinubu in 2027, said the party has a culture of supporting the government at the centre.

He insisted that the culture has not changed.

His words: “We have completed over 500 km of roads and many smart schools and water projects, waiting for commissioning. We commissioned over 200 km of roads for Keke riders. The Tower of Light and the monuments of our heroes are symbolic. Ours is an agenda with a deadline in line with our vision of Anambra Dubai-Taiwan. Anambra is clearly on the rise. 

“The Anambra people are happy to celebrate the President with the 179 communities, giving you a chieftaincy title. You tamed the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos, and you are courageous in taming the economy. Stay the course, Mr President. We also thank you for appointing Ndi Anambra to various positions. 

“Beyond Anambra State, Nigeria will survive, and that is why Anambra State will not only support President Tinubu, but support him to succeed. 

“I’m an unrepentant progressive, and APGA had given support to the president in 2011. Today, I want to inform you that the culture of APGA has not changed because we have keyed into the progressive nature and progressives, and we will support Mr. President. 

“Strongly rooted in centre progressivism, I want to tell you that that has not changed. APGA has strategically aligned with the centre.”

Tinubu declares support for Soludo’s re-election

Moved by Governor Soludo’s performance in the state, President Tinubu declared support for his re-election in the November 8, election in Anambra State.

While in the state, President Tinubu commissioned some projects executed by the governor, among which were the new Government House, the Solution Fun City, and the iconic Light Tower, which he described as a symbolic project. He also commissioned the Emeka Anyaoku International Centre at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

The President, who touched down at the Prof Chinua Achebe International Airport, Umueri by 12.15p.m., was received by Governor Soludo and a cross-section of Anambra people.

Speaking during a town hall meeting at the  Alex Ekwueme Square, also recently reconstructed by Soludo, President Tinubu described the governor as his friend, a brilliant man, a smart brain, and highly connected.

He said: “To me, a reflection of our diversity is present here with the presence of the Progressive Governors. Our diversity will lead to prosperity. There is a solution in Anambra because we have Soludo. 

“I stood as a candidate, and I came here to seek your votes during the Presidential election and in less than two years since my assumption of office as your president, I thank you for your encouragement and support.

“I am delighted to be back to commission projects. I come as a great friend. The South-East zone is home to enterprise and strength.

“My visit today bears a bold testament. Soludo is my friend, and I salute his vision, he has the brain, he’s a great thinker, he knows the way, and we will work together. 

“Soludo is a person who will bring prosperity to you, and a solid foundation has been laid by him, and Anambra is on the rise. I will work with  Soludo as a friend and we will work together to deliver dividends of democracy.”

Speaking specifically about the Light Tower, President Tinubu described it as a wonderful monument.

He said: “The Anambra Tower of Light and other projects, together with the massive infrastructural transformation and human capital development, are bold infrastructure achievements in a short period in Anambra State. I recall when we came to tame the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos and people doubted it, but we stood our ground.”

The President promised that the Federal Government would continue to partner with Anambra State and the South-East geopolitical zone to secure the people and their future.   He also promised to make huge ecological investments in the state to tackle erosion, which has been ravaging most communities in the state.

He added: “Anambra has almost become the erosion capital of the world, and we will do everything to make ecological investment in tackling erosion and abandoned federal road projects, especially the road linking Anambra with Kogi. The Ministry of Transportation will design the master plan.

“With our progressive ideological alliance, we will continue to partner Anambra State to deliver shared prosperity to Ndi Anambra and Nigerians, and we will continue to be brothers because we are one family, living in different rooms, but the same house called Nigeria. 

“We must work together and bring prosperity. We are required to confront the wastefulness of the past and the ineptitude, and bring confidence to our people.

“Agriculture is receiving massive attention. We have negotiated and passed into law the new minimum wage, and I’m glad that I’m informed that Anambra is paying.

“We have to invest in our future, and the future of children and education is the greatest investment and weapon against poverty.   We will work to secure the future of our people. We will conquer insurgency and we will defeat them.”

APGA committed to Tinubu’s re-election — Bianca Ojukwu

Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, yesterday, said that APGA remains committed to the re-election of President Tinubu in 2027.

The Minister also said that the one-day working visit of President Tinubu to Anambra State is a manifestation of his spirit of inclusivity and that it has proven that he is a president for all Nigerians, regardless of political party affiliations, tribe or creed.

The Minister, who is a member of the Board of Trustees of APGA, said she has no intention to defect to the APC, even though she is a cabinet member of the APC-led Federal Government.

Asked to comment on how she felt over the President’s visit to Anambra State, said: “It’s a momentous occasion. The President’s visit to Anambra State today (yesterday), has demonstrated really how magnanimous he is in his political affiliations.

“It has showcased his spirit of inclusivity, and he has shown all and sundry that he is a president for all Nigerians, regardless of political party affiliations, tribe or creed.”

Asked if she agreed with the governor, she said: “Yes, it is a consensus of the party. We have done that with the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in times past. In the state, we are the APGA but when it comes to support, we key into the centre. We did that with the PDP, and we are, as a party, committed to the second-term aspirations of our president.”

Also asked whether she intends to defect to the APC, she said: “I am a member of the Board of Trustees of APGA, a principal member at that. So, I have absolutely no intentions of defecting.”

Excellent move by Gov Soludo-led APGA—Okechukwu

Welcoming the development, an APC chieftain, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said: “It’s reminiscent of Zikist Alliance, the foundation of South East-Southwest-North alliance, who was a member of Western Region House of Assembly and Alhaji Altima was Mayor at Enugu.

“I am one of those who frowns at APGA’s isolationist politics, for we Igbo live and invest in all parts of our dear country. Wherever it’s good or bad in Nigeria, we are part of the good and the ugly.”

Meanwhile, angry reactions have elicited Soludo’s adoption of the presidency for a second term.

Adopting Tinubuis perfidious —Chekwas Okorie

In his reaction, the founder of APGA, Chief Chekwas Okorie, described the adoption as perfidious.

Okorie, in a chat with Vanguard, said: “I wish to state without equivocation that all well-meaning Nigerians, especially the people of Anambra State and Ndigbo in general, welcomed wholeheartedly and with great joy the state visit of President Tinubu to Anambra State.

“Prof. Soludo, as the governor of Anambra State, was at liberty to vaunt his accomplishments at such an auspicious occasion.

“However, he overreached himself when he assured the President that APGA would adopt him for the 2027 presidential election. He even claimed that APGA had a policy of such adoption since 2011, when Governor Peter Obi publicly adopted President Goodluck Jonathan for the presidential election of that year. APGA has suffered several misrepresentations by self-serving and selfish governors who unscrupulously demonstrated unconscionable ingratitude to the party that provided them the platform to realise their life ambition of becoming governor of their states.

“Chief Rochas Okorocha did the same thing when he claimed that APGA joined the APC merger in 2013, when only he and his followers joined the newly registered APC. Prof. Soludo cannot make such a monumental commitment on behalf of APGA. He even claims to be the national leader of the party. A blatantly false claim. Dr. Alex Otti is the only governor of the Labour Party, but you will never see him parade himself with the bloated ego of Prof. Soludo. I am the founder and patriarch of APGA.”

It shows Soludo’s desperation —Wabara 

Also, Chairman of the PDP BoT, Senator Adolphus Wabara, said the adoption shows Governor Soludo’s desperation for a second term in office.

Reacting to the development, Senator Wabara expressed disappointment over the action but said he was not surprised. His words: “It’s not the movement of individuals but the masses that will decide the 2027 polls.”

Ozigbo slams Soludo

On his part, a leading contender in the Anambra governorship race, Valentine Ozigbo, yesterday, slammed Governor Soludo, describing the governor’s three-year record as “a glaring theatre of missed priorities, misplaced ambitions, and media optics masquerading as progress.

“In over three years in office, Governor Soludo has delivered zero public housing, zero real investment inflow, and zero structural transformation of our economy,” he said.

[Vanguard]