By Sarah Ezeh
Former Anambra governors, Dr Chris Ngige, Dame Virgy Etiaba and Chief Willie Obiano, alongside some other prominent political figures expected at the gathering as Governor Charles Soludo on Subday inaugurated the Tinubu Campaign Council in Awka.
Their absence was notable because an invitation issued by the Anambra State Government had listed serving and former governors and deputy governors among the categories of stakeholders expected to attend.
The invitation, dated October 22 and signed by the Chief of Staff to the governor and Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council Secretariat in Anambra, Dr Ben Nwankwo, also listed former political appointees, members of the National and State Assemblies, former local government chairmen and party chieftains among the invitees.
The reasons for the former governors’ absence at the inauguration of a 4,600-member Presidential Campaign Council at the International Convention Centre, Awka were not immediately known.
At the event, organised to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 general election, Soludo urged political leaders in the South-East to strengthen their engagement with the Federal Government.
He argued that strategic political partnerships are essential to advancing the region’s infrastructure, economic development and interests within Nigeria’s national governance structure.
The coalition brings together members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord Party, with Soludo serving as Anambra State Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council.
Describing the political realignment as a strategic decision, the governor urged the South-East to move beyond what he characterised as protest-driven politics and pursue greater participation in national political affairs.
He recalled the contributions of prominent Igbo political leaders, including Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr Alex Ekwueme and Dr Chuba Okadigbo, arguing that the region could not afford political isolation if it hoped to advance its aspirations within the Nigerian federation.
Soludo said major infrastructure projects, including railway development, gas pipelines, road networks and erosion control, required substantial federal support beyond the financial capacity of individual states.
He cited the approximately 5,000 votes President Tinubu received in Anambra during the 2023 presidential election, arguing that federal interventions in the state demonstrated the potential benefits of constructive engagement with the centre.
The governor urged members of the campaign council to intensify grassroots mobilisation through door-to-door engagements, ward structures and polling-unit networks, noting that these were critical to electoral participation.
He also clarified that although the participating political parties could pursue their respective candidates for other elective positions, their common objective within the coalition was to support Tinubu’s re-election.
The governor further argued that the South-East needed to position itself strategically in national political negotiations, particularly in view of future presidential power rotation, stressing that the region should seek active participation in decisions affecting the country’s political and economic direction.
Earlier, APGA National Chairman, Chief Sylvester Ezeokenwa, described the coalition as an unprecedented political arrangement in Anambra and pledged the party’s support for its objectives.
Similarly, Anambra APC Chairman, Senator Emma Anosike, endorsed the political realignment, saying stronger cooperation with the Federal Government could create opportunities for development in the state and the wider South-East. He disclosed that he initially had reservations about the arrangement but subsequently expressed support for the initiative.
The APC Deputy National Organising Secretary, Emeka Okafor, who represented the party’s national chairman, also supported the alliance, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen political cooperation and advance infrastructure development in the South-East.
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