Governor Chukwuma Soludo has inaugurated the campaign structure for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in Anambra State, declaring that the political alliance behind the President represents a struggle for the political future of Nigeria, Ndigbo and Anambra State.
Soludo, who is the Anambra State Coordinator of the Tinubu re-election campaign, made the declaration during the inauguration ceremony held at the International Convention Centre (ICC), Awka, where political leaders and stakeholders from different parties gathered to formalise their support for the President ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Addressing the gathering, the Governor described the emerging cross-party coalition as a contest between emotion and reason, arguing that emotional politics could only dominate temporarily before yielding to strategic political calculations.
He said the central objective of the alliance was to secure Tinubu’s re-election, while assuring candidates seeking other elective positions on different party platforms of a level playing field.
Soludo traced the political participation of Ndigbo in national affairs to the contributions of prominent leaders such as Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr Alex Ekwueme and Dr Chuba Okadigbo, stressing that the South-East must not isolate itself from national political developments.
He explained that APGA recognised the importance of strategic engagement with the Federal Government and consequently resolved to align with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that both parties share progressive ideals centred on federalism and shared prosperity.
Recalling his political journey, which he said began in 1980 under the principle of “one nation, one destiny”, Soludo urged Ndigbo to consider the long-term implications of their political choices and the benefits of participating actively in national governance.
He argued that state resources alone could not adequately fund major infrastructure such as federal rail lines and gas pipelines without strategic partnerships with the Federal Government.
The Governor also pointed to the support Anambra had received from the Tinubu administration despite the President recording just over 5,000 votes in the state during the 2023 presidential election. He questioned what further development opportunities could emerge if the state demonstrated stronger electoral support for the President in 2027.
He consequently called for a shift from what he described as opposition and protest politics to active participation in the country’s central political structure.
On the country’s political future, Soludo observed that a divided opposition would face significant challenges in contesting against an incumbent, while referencing his record of predicting Nigeria’s presidential election outcomes since 1983.
He further argued that the anticipated rotation of presidential power between the North and South made it important for Ndigbo to position themselves within national political structures ahead of future political transitions.
Speaking on political relationships within Anambra, the Governor maintained that his differences with political opponents were largely about political strategies and ideologies, rather than personal relationships.
He also acknowledged federal fiscal interventions aimed at improving foreign exchange availability for importers, noting that although progress had been recorded, more work remained to be done.
Outlining the campaign’s operational plans, Soludo announced that campaign structures across the state would be streamlined before the end of the following week.
He emphasized that electoral success depended on effective mobilization at polling units and ward levels, urging supporters to remain focused, withstand opposition criticism and avoid being distracted by verbal attacks on social media.
The event attracted political stakeholders across party lines, including representatives of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Accord Party and APGA, reflecting the coalition’s cross-party composition.
Speaking at the inauguration, Senator Anosike said he had initially approached the meeting with some reservations but expressed appreciation for the developmental projects he observed in Anambra State.
He explained that the coalition’s objective was to ensure that the state became more actively involved in national governance, while appealing to political leaders to maintain unity despite their differences over other elective positions.
Anosike maintained that candidates contesting on different party platforms should be allowed to demonstrate their individual capacities, even as stakeholders work collectively towards Tinubu’s re-election.
Also speaking, APGA National Chairman, Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa, described the gathering as an unprecedented political coalition united by the objective of securing another presidential term for Tinubu.
He commended Soludo for facilitating the political alignment and reaffirmed APGA’s readiness to mobilise its party structures in line with the campaign’s objectives ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
