'No Vote Wasting Again' — Soludo Endorses Tinubu for 2027, Shuns Obi

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has publicly endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election in the 2027 presidential race, urging the South-East to avoid "wasting votes" and instead align with the ruling coalition to secure political relevance.

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has officially thrown his weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's second term bid, calling on Igbos and the wider South-East region to back the president in 2027 or risk political irrelevance.

Speaking on Monday in Awka while addressing members of the Women Wing of the City Boy Movement, Anambra Chapter, Soludo said the region must avoid what he described as the mistake of "wasting votes" and instead position itself within the political coalition that could secure Tinubu's second term. The governor argued that Nigeria's presidential politics has been shaped by an unwritten zoning principle between the North and the South, making it politically unrealistic to expect the North to support another southern presidential candidate after Tinubu's tenure. "I pray that the Igbos will not waste their votes again in 2027. After the eight years of former President Muhammadu Buhari, power shifted to the South and President Tinubu is taking the turn of the South. President Tinubu has four more years to go and after his eight years, power will move back to the North. This is the reality of our politics and not an emotional matter," Soludo said.

The move means he has effectively shunned the 2027 presidential ambition of one of his predecessors and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, Peter Obi, who hails from the same state. Speaking during an interactive session with the women coordinators of the "City Boy Movement"—a pro-Tinubu political organisation—at the Light House in Awka, Soludo urged women and youth across the South-East to intensify mobilization efforts for the President.

Governor Soludo declared his support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 General elections, stating that he has no regrets about his position. He made the remarks during a television interview in Awka, where he described the President as a friend and trusted ally and advised other Presidential hopefuls to reconsider their ambitions. He also disclosed that APGA would not field a Presidential candidate in 2027, saying: "Tinubu is my friend, and I want him to win a second term. I am unapologetic about that." The governor noted that the stance aligned with the party's position in the 2023 elections, when APGA did not present a Presidential candidate but supported the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer.

The southeast governor disclosed that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), a leading opposition party in the southeast, has officially adopted the president as its 2027 presidential candidate. The governor emphasised that APGA and the president's party, All Progressives Congress (APC), would work together, adding that the two political parties shared a common belief in progressivism.

According to Soludo, President Tinubu has been his long time friend and ally, hence he cannot possibly deny him the opportunity to run in 2027, especially banking on his economic and structural reforms initiated so far.

The endorsement has sparked controversy and drawn widespread criticism from political analysts, opposition politicians and sections of the South-East political class, who accuse Soludo of abandoning the region's push for the presidency and aligning with the ruling APC for political expediency.

Critics have also questioned the decision of APGA, a party founded on Igbo political interests, to adopt a candidate from another party, describing it as a betrayal of the party's founding principles and the aspirations of the South-East.

However, Soludo has defended his position, arguing that pragmatism, strategic alliances and political realism should guide the South-East's political engagements rather than emotional sentiments and unrealistic expectations.

The governor's endorsement of Tinubu comes amid rising tension in Anambra State and the wider South-East region, as many residents and political stakeholders continue to support Peter Obi's presidential ambition under the NDC platform.