2027 Shockwave: Why Gov. Soludo Dragged APGA Into Endorsing Tinubu Amid South-East Backlash | READ DETAILS
Afnews Editor
May 09, 2025
Governor Soludo's endorsement of President Tinubu for 2027 under APGA sparks outrage across the South-East. Why did APGA adopt Tinubu? Read full story now.
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AKWA - A political storm is raging in the South-East following Governor Charles Soludo's dramatic declaration that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has adopted President Bola Tinubu as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Soludo made this controversial announcement during Tinubu's one-day working visit to Anambra State, where several projects were commissioned. According to Soludo, APGA's endorsement is in line with the party's "culture of supporting the government at the centre.ÔÇØ
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But the declaration has ignited furious reactions across Igboland, with stakeholders accusing Soludo of acting unilaterally, betraying party ideals, and dragging APGA into an unpopular alliance for personal gain.
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"Soludo has overreached himself. He has no mandate to speak on behalf of APGA in such a critical national matter,ÔÇØ said APGA founder, Chief Chekwas Okorie, who branded the endorsement as perfidious and an affront to the will of Ndigbo.
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Soludo, defending his move, told President Tinubu:
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"APGA supported Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. We are a progressive party. Our alignment with the centre is strategic and consistent. We're fully backing your second term.ÔÇØ
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Tinubu, visibly pleased, responded by throwing his weight behind Soludo's re-election bid in the upcoming November 8 governorship poll.
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"Soludo is my friend and a brilliant mind. Anambra is rising under him. We'll work together to bring prosperity to this state,ÔÇØ Tinubu declared during a town hall meeting at Alex Ekwueme Square.
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The President commissioned major projects during the visit, including the new Government House, the Solution Fun City, and the iconic Tower of Light.
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While Soludo praised Tinubu's courage in handling economic reforms, critics say the endorsement is rooted in desperation and political survival rather than strategic alignment.
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Notably, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and APGA BOT member, Bianca Ojukwu, also supported the move, describing Tinubu's visit as proof of inclusivity.
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"As a party, we have supported the PDP in the past. There's nothing new here. APGA will back Tinubu in 2027,ÔÇØ Bianca said, although she firmly ruled out defecting to APC.
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However, political observers say this shift could spell doom for APGA's identity, which has long stood as a voice of regional independence.
An APC chieftain, Osita Okechukwu, welcomed the endorsement, calling it a return to the old Zikist alliance between South-East, South-West, and North.
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"It's time to leave isolationist politics behind. The Igbo nation cannot afford to be in opposition forever,ÔÇØ he stated.
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But not everyone agrees. Across Anambra and the broader Igbo community, many feel blindsided.
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"This is not just about politics; it's about betrayal,ÔÇØ said a senior APGA member who spoke anonymously. "Soludo has put personal ambition above party integrity.ÔÇØ
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The backlash comes amid a broader wave of defections to APC from PDP, especially in Delta and Edo states, strengthening Tinubu's political machinery ahead of 2027.
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As Tinubu promises federal intervention on erosion in Anambra and major infrastructure projects, critics warn that political endorsements must come from proper party organs-not personal declarations by governors.
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"Soludo's ambition cannot override the collective will of APGA members and Igbo interests,ÔÇØ Okorie warned.
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As 2027 draws closer, the question remains: Will APGA survive this internal storm, or has Soludo permanently altered its political DNA?
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— Afnews Editor