Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has defended his decision to align the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) with President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, saying Ndigbo cannot afford to stay on the sidelines of national power.
Soludo said he inaugurated the Anambra State structure for Tinubu’s 2027 campaign at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Awka. He described the contest as bigger than party politics.
“This is more than politics. It is a battle for the soul of Nigeria, for Ndigbo, and for Anambra,” he said.
“Emotion may dominate, but reason prevails”
Soludo said he told supporters that politics is a contest between emotion and reason. “Emotion may dominate for a moment, but reason ultimately prevails,” he said.
He pointed to Igbo political heavyweights as precedent. “From Zik to Ekwueme to Okadigbo, our forebears always played politics at the centre. We cannot afford to be insular,” he said.
“Same progressive DNA”
The governor said APGA and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) share common ground. “APGA and APC share the same progressive DNA – true federalism and shared prosperity. That is why we have chosen to align with the centre,” he said.
He argued that Anambra cannot fund major projects alone. “We cannot build railways, gas pipelines and the infrastructure our future needs with state resources alone. We need a strong partnership at the centre,” he said.
Tinubu’s 2023 vote in Anambra
Soludo noted that Tinubu has backed the state despite a weak showing there in 2023. “Despite getting just over 5,000 votes here in 2023, President Tinubu has supported Anambra. Imagine what we can attract when we vote massively for him,” he said.
Eyeing 2039
Looking ahead, Soludo said power would shift once the South completes its second term. “After the South completes its second term, power will go North before it returns to the South again around 2039. Where will Ndigbo be? We must be at the table, not outside protesting,” he said.
He added that a united front is needed. “History shows that a strong incumbent is never defeated by a fractured opposition. Let us unite and secure our stake in Nigeria’s future,” he said.
“May Anambra continue to win!” he concluded.
