Has Anambra APC Lost Tinubu to APGA?

The All Progressives Congress (APC) unit in Anambra State twice failed to produce a governor during the eight years of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. The first was when Senator Tony Nwoye, then a contender, flew the party’s banner in 2017. Many hoped that, as a ruling party, the APC would have installed an APC governor in the state by utilizing its central popularity, available resources, and state apparatus, which includes security.

A very conservative Buhari made it to Anambra in the lead-up to the 2017 election, when he grudgingly raised the candidate’s hand and declared, “Young man, I wish you what you wish yourself.” Many people believe his statement demonstrated the then-president’s lack of interest in endorsing his party’s candidate. Chief Willie Obiano, the former governor who was running for reelection at the time, was later to floor Nwoye along with other candidates from other political parties.

Once more, in 2021, incumbent Governor Chief Willie Obiano nominated Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank, to succeed him. He was also from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), whereas former Senator Andy Uba ran on the APC platform. Party loyalists claimed that every effort to get Buhari to support the APC in Anambra’s gubernatorial race was unsuccessful because he stayed distant and instead cooperated with the Obiano-led administration.

In a manner characteristic of an Aguleri warrior, Obiano stormed the villa and won Buhari’s sympathy, which resulted in an order to reverse the decision. This was evident on multiple occasions when members of the presidency sabotaged Obiano, including an illegal order that deprived Obiano of his personal security. All of these factors may have led many to believe that the central government may have an agreement with the APGA to assist it there, and the APC is reciprocating by excluding Anambra from the states it wants to seize.

But the arrival of President Bola Tinubu might have given the APC members in Anambra new optimism. In support of this, state APC member Hon. Ejike Okafor stated: “Tinubu is not like Buhari, who was more conservative and even selfish and cunning.” Tinubu is a perfect politician, therefore anyone who believes he would act like Buhari—particularly by being indifferent to the party’s affairs—is incorrect. Since this is the first time a legitimate politician has served as president, I have no doubt that the APC in Anambra will benefit from this in the 2025 election.

Speaking to party members at the state party secretariat in Awka in the early days of Tinubu’s ascent to the presidency, state party chairman Hon. Basil Ejidike also conveyed optimism for the party in the state. “As you are all aware, our new president is an excellent politician,” he stated. Hard work and loyalty are rewarded by him. Some of you may have noticed that he has kept his devoted followers from his days as a governor many years ago. You must all return to your local government districts and try to advance our party. Regarding compensation, we are confident that under President Tinubu’s administration, people who have put in a lot of effort will receive it,” he stated.

Recent appointments, however, appear to have run counter to the aforementioned opinions of Tinubu. Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, the late Igbo leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s widow, was appointed minister of foreign affairs (state) by President Tinubu on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. Mrs. Ojukwu is the wife of the party’s founder, a well-known APGA member, and a BOT member. She was appointed to fill the Anambra position left vacant by the dismissal of Uju Kennedy Ohanenye.

Even while her appointment was widely praised—especially given her prominence—and even called a fitting one, some APC members didn’t think it was the best.

In a press release, a group of party elders led by Chief Bunty Onuigbo denounced the decision, calling it a favoritism of a rival party over his own. According to him, the president’s behavior does not encourage party allegiance.

“This is nothing but an anti-party act, and it is detrimental,” he said. Mr. President is not encouraging party loyalty in Anambra State by giving members of other political parties more influence at the expense of the APC. Is the president interested in a large-scale APC defection to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra? Does he indirectly work for Anambra State’s APGA? This group hates the APC and is unwilling to interact with us. By scheduling these encounters, Mr. President is motivating them,” he continued.

According to Onuigbo, APC stakeholders have made the decision to formally submit their complaints against the nomination to Chief Basil Ejidike, the state chairman, for consideration by the National Working Committee and the National Executive Committee.

President Tinubu appointed Mr. Mark Okoye, another well-known APGA member who had previously worked for the Soludo-led Anambra State government, as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) for Anambra’s seat, just as the dust was beginning to settle from the appointment process.

This has spurred a new discussion over President Tinubu’s sincerity in supporting the APC’s expansion in Anambra State and overseeing the upcoming November 2025 Anambra governorship race. Given that the current governor, Prof. Soludo, is also a member of Tinubu’s economic team and is planning to run for governor again, many have speculated that the federal government may have struck a deal with the Anambra State government to back Soludo’s reelection over the candidates who have lined up to run on the APC platform.

However, Mr. Paul Chukwuma, an APC frontline candidate for governor of Anambra, has a different perspective on this. Chukwuma dismissed criticism of the president’s two appointments in his response to the appointments.

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“Appointments remain the prerogative of the president,” he said. Keep in mind that there is still only one Nigeria. No one had questioned the ability of those nominated, and Mr. President was merely searching for capable hands.

Like the young man Mark Okoye, who is well known to be exceptionally intelligent, Mrs. Ojukwu is one of our best and deserves the job. Since these folks are from Anambra, their appointment shouldn’t cause you any resentment. The president today disproved the long-standing claim that the APC government dislikes the people of Anambra. As a candidate, I don’t see any issues with the appointment.

“I’ve heard rumors that the APGA is boasting about having nominated such individuals, but that is untrue. Let them provide us with proof that they were nominated. To the people of Anambra, the fact is that the president made the appointments. Therefore, it is commendable that the president appointed members of other parties in addition to the APC.

“The APGA has been pleading with the APC government for positions. After claiming to be APC supporters in Abuja, they return to Anambra and assert that the APC does not exist. I consider Mr. President’s nomination to be strategic. Instead, he is attracting APGA members into the APC. You are partially APC if you are employed by the APC. They have noticed that the APC government is performing well; out of the more than fifty APGA members who have applied for posts, only a select handful have been chosen as credible candidates. You have the option to decline the appointment if you believe that APC is struggling.

“The APGA government needs to quit disparaging us in Anambra and traveling to Abuja to say that they back the APC. The majority of the billboards that we recently placed throughout the state have been taken down by the APGA government. Why, therefore, are they giving the president the impression that they adore his party? We’ll find out in time. We shall know where people stand when the time comes, but for now, we want our land to be developed, and we will fight to make sure that individuals who care about Anambra retake the state and put it on a path of prosperity. Under Soludo, Anambra is progressively degenerating into a failing state.