Anambra Election 2025: Setbacks for Soludo as APGA Stakeholders Endorse APC Candidate
- 2,500 stakeholders in the All Progressives Grand Alliance have dumped Governor Charles Soludo's camp to support the All Progressives Congress's Nicholas Ukachukwu
- The stakeholders cite Soludo's insensitivity and lack of gratitude towards those who worked for him as the reason behind their decision
- Nicholas Ukachukwu made a bold statement during a meeting with the stakeholders and made a strong promise to be fulfilled when elected as governor
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Awka, Anambra State - Former appointees of the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance during the Willie Obiano-led administration have declared support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Prince Nicholas Chukwujekwu Ukachukwu, in the 2025 gubernatorial polls.
Source: Facebook
They made the declaration during a strategic meeting of former political appointees and stakeholders held in Awka, the state capital, a meeting led by the Hon. Owelle Onyeka Mbaso, a former Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano on Political Matters, who is now a Senior Special Assistant to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Sustainable Development Goals, a meeting which had in attendance a total of 2,500 members, said that they would work to deliver Prince Ukachukwu as the winner during the November 8 governorship election in the state.
APGA stakeholders declare allegiance to APC's candidate
Reading out the resolutions of the group, Hon. Ifeanyi Akunne, a former political appointee under Willie Obiano's administration, noted that they were tasked to use their money to mobilise voters from their various wards for Prof. Charles Soludo's emergence as governor of Anambra state, with a promise that after the emergence of Soludo as governor, all of them would be rewarded with appointments and improved entitlements.
He explained that after the election, instead of rewarding them, Governor Soludo dismissed all the political appointees without benefits, and without offsetting their severance allowances.
He averred that the motive behind their choice of Nicholas Ukachukwu, the APC candidate, is based on Ukachukwu's records as a humanitarian, and one who has listening ears, and is ever willing and ready to work with like-minded individuals.
The communique was unanimously adopted in the presence of the APC candidate, Nicholas Ukachukwu, the Anambra state chairman of APC, Chief Basil Ejidike, thousands of former political appointees, stakeholders, and other high-ranking party faithful and supporters.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Juslin Nwankwo, a member of the group, who is currently a Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, thanked Prince Ukachukwu for making himself available for the governorship election, and promised that all the former political appointees would go back to the grassroots to mobilise support for him and the APC.
Former Director General of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah Campaign Organisation, Mr. Vin Onyeka, who was also present at the event, assured that the entire political family of the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, that matters politically, are also part of the endorsement of Nicholas Ukachukwu.
Hon. Arinze Ayogu, National Coordinator of Ikenna Front, a political pressure group, also expressed regret that political appointees under Willie Obiano spent their hard-earned money and were disengaged after Soludo emerged as governor.
"Soludo's chapter is closed," Ayogu swore.
"When we were still licking our wounds over disappointment from Soludo, God miraculously gave us Nicholas Ukachukwu.
We shall deploy the same energy, enthusiasm and commitment we used in delivering Soludo in 2021 to deliver Ukachukwu in November 2025," he said.
State chairman of the party, Basil Ejidike, described former political appointees as tested and trusted hands in politics and believed that they would deliver results in their various political wards.
He assured that whatever they were denied under successive APGA administrations will be replenished after the emergence of Nicholas Ukachukwu as governor.
APC candidate's address
The APC candidate, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, welcomed and absorbed the former political appointees into the APC fold and his campaign organisation, assured them of a good working relationship.
He urged members of the group to win their various wards for the APC, assuring that any former appointee who wins their ward will be given an automatic political appointment upon his emergence as governor.
"You people know very well that I always do whatever I promise. I'm not a man who disappoints. Fulfil your part of the bargain and leave the rest for me. Within two months in office as governor, I will offset all severance allowances and packages owed to every political appointee by previous administrations.
But you must be ready to work. These promises will only come to fruition if, by the grace of God, you work hard for our victory," he posited.
"I promised God that if I won the governorship election, the day I would be sworn in as governor, I would preach the gospel, and people would know that your governor is a preacher and lover of the gospel. Together, all of us will sing God's praises at the government house," he added.
Earlier, the convener, Owelle Onyeka Mbaso, recalled that he took Ozo Victor Oye, the former national chairman of APGA, to Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo in 2016, and that it was at that level that Prof. Soludo was invited to APGA.
He also noted that it was at that meeting that it was agreed that Prof. Soludo should support Governor Obiano in his re-election bid in 2017, after which APGA would offer him nomination in 2021.
"It was Owelle Onyeka Mbaso, who led these negotiations and brought Prof. Soludo into APGA using Oye," he said.
"Today, I'm regretting bringing Soludo into APGA as the man has dumped everybody that worked for his emergence as governor, including my humble self, without any appreciation," he concluded
Source: Facebook
Anambra 2025: APC member says party will win
Meanwhile, Ahmad Abba Dangata, a former APC national youth leader aspirant, has expressed confidence that the party will win the 2025 gubernatorial election in Anambra state, citing the president’s performance as a key factor.
He made the remark in an exclusive chat with Legit.ng.
“Yes. APC is going to take power in Anambra in 2025 because the good people of Anambra have seen the legacies of APC under President Tinubu. The only way to pay him is to vote for the party,” Dangata said.
Legit.ng notes that Anambra is currently governed by Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), a regional party that has held sway in the state for years. However, the APC is reportedly ramping up its mobilisation efforts and courting key political figures in the southeast.
APC reacts to Soludo's endorsement
Legit.ng previously reported that ahead of the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has berated stakeholders from Anambra Central senatorial district for their move in endorsing Soludo's second term bid.
The APC chieftain described the action of a select few from Anambra Central as grand deception similar to the 'Yahoo game', aimed at preventing Soludo from seeing the defeat staring him in the face.
Legit.ng's head of politics and current affairs desk, Nurudeen Lawal, contributed APC member Ahmad Abba Dangata's reaction to this report.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
Mokwugo Solomon (Anambra State Correspondent) Anambra's regional correspondent Mokwugwo Solomon is an Editor, Investigative Journalist, and Media Consultant, with a wealth of experience spanning 17 years. He bagged his B/Ed degree in English Education from University of Abuja, now Yakubu Gowon University. After 17 years in various areas of journalism, Mokwugwo Solomon is now the Correspondent of Legit.ng in Anambra State, Nigeria, where he applies his expertise to provide incisive coverage of events. Contact him at: mokwugwosolomon@gmail.com OR: +2348063831036.
Abdul-Hafeez Fadehan (Editorial Assistant) Abdul-Hafeez Fadehan is a Legit.ng journalist with over a year of experience writing for Punch Newspaper. He received his BSc in Criminology and Security Studies from FUOYE. His background in media communications and criminology, with practical experience in research, interviewing, and digital media, allows him to craft compelling narratives that drive positive change. Fadehan is an Editorial Assistant on Politics/CA Desk at Legit.ng. He is committed to ethical journalism, leveraging his skills to create a meaningful impact. Reach him at abdul-hafeez.fadehan@corp.legit.ng or 070622666732.
