2027: APGA Candidates Shun Soludo, Tinubu Portraits Amid Obi’s Growing Influence in Anambra

By Our Correspondents

Despite Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)’s support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election, some candidates of the party in Anambra State are reportedly avoiding the portraits of the two leaders on their campaign posters.

Investigations by The RAZOR indicate that the development may be linked to concerns about economic hardship, public perception of the Federal Government and Soludo’s frequent criticism of former Anambra State governor Peter Obi.

In interviews with The RAZOR, some APGA candidates, who pleaded anonymity for fear of victimisation by the party hierarchy, attributed their decision to campaign without the portraits to the hardship Nigerians are experiencing and what they described as Soludo’s persistent attacks on Obi.

They said displaying the photographs of Soludo and Tinubu could expose them to difficult questions from voters dissatisfied with the economy and sympathetic to Obi.

According to the candidates, they would rather campaign on their individual records, political programmes and capacity to represent their constituencies than make their electoral fortunes dependent on the popularity of the two leaders.

One of the candidates questioned the wisdom of identifying with the two politicians during the campaigns. “How can we associate with people hated by the masses? The hardship in the country is real. So, how can we explain to the masses that all is well? No, I can’t do that. How can we explain the unwarranted attacks on our son, Peter Obi, by these people? So I decided to campaign on my own capacity. If the electorate resonate with my ideals, good and fine; if they don’t, good. But for me to go and add another person’s burden on my head, I won’t do that. Let everyone carry their own cross,” he said.

The candidates’ accounts suggest that the party’s presidential alignment may be creating a dilemma for some aspirants at the constituency level. While APGA’s leadership maintains its support for Tinubu, candidates contesting legislative seats must answer directly to voters whose concerns include the cost of living, food prices, unemployment and declining purchasing power.

The decision to omit the portraits could represent an attempt by some aspirants to distinguish their local campaigns from the political positions and public perceptions associated with the two leaders.

Reacting to the development, Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Dr Law Mefor, said the party was unaware of the alleged move by some of its candidates to omit the portraits of Soludo and Tinubu from their campaign materials.

“We are unaware of this development if it’s true, and we will study it as a political party. The party will come up with appropriate response in due time,” Mefor said.

His response indicated that the alleged practice had not been acknowledged in the statement he provided and that the matter would be studied before any further response.

However, APGA’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr Ejimofor Opera, maintained that the party was unapologetic about its support for Tinubu, saying it believed the decision represented the right political direction.

In a telephone conversation with The RAZOR, Opera said he would not want to waste time on what he described as gossip, adding that the party’s immediate priority was to ensure that APGA appeared on the ballot in the forthcoming elections.

He said candidates should rely on their individual strengths, popularity and capacity to win voters’ support, noting that Soludo was not contesting any election in 2027.

Using a religious analogy, Opera argued that displaying the portrait of Jesus or Satan on a candidate’s campaign poster might not change voters’ choices if the candidate lacked personal recognition, popularity and the capacity to attract support.

Soludo’s relationship with Obi remain another issue raised by the candidates. Obi, a former APGA governor and the NDC presidential candidate in 2027 race is a prominent political figure in Anambra.He enjoys considerable recognition in the state. His supporters have criticised Soludo’s public comments about him, while the Soludo and his allies have defended their positions.

For candidates seeking votes in constituencies where Obi enjoys goodwill, displaying Soludo’s portrait alongside Tinubu’s could invite questions about their position on the disagreement.

The development highlights the challenge of reconciling APGA’s presidential alignment with the independent ambitions of its candidates for legislative seats.

Although a political party can support a presidential candidate while fielding its own candidates for other offices, the arrangement may require aspirants to explain their party’s national position while making a separate case for their own election.

Opera’s response suggests that the party expects candidates to rely on their personal appeal rather than portraits of political leaders, while some APGA candidates interviewed said economic hardship and Soludo’s criticism of Obi influenced their decisions.

The presidential and National Assembly Elections are scheduled for January 16,2027.