Anambra 2025: Tinubu has no deal with Soludo — APC aspirant, Okonkwo

Chairman of United Airlines and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Anambra State, Obiora Okonkwo, has dismissed insinuations of a deal between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the incumbent governor of the state, Charles Soludo, ahead of the November governorship election in the south-east state.

Speaking with journalists at the APC national secretariat shortly after submitting his nomination forms, the APC governorship hopeful maintained that claims of a payback period in the camp of Governor Soludo and the All Progressives Grand Alliance were a non-issue, as the Anambra State governor, contrary to his claim, did not work for Tinubu at the last general elections.

He said, “There is no payback time for him. He claimed to have worked for Tinubu but he only worked for himself. He promised to give the APC president 25 per cent of the vote. That was what he promised, and at the count of the votes, we did not even get one per cent.

“And this same person, again, who is not counting on winning a second term based on his achievements and the delivery of democracy in Anambra State, is again knocking on the door of our great party in Abuja saying, ‘come support me, I will help you win.’ He has proven in the past that he has no capacity to help the party. Right now, the party is ready to go and win with me.”

The APC aspirant said Governor Soludo was jittery about losing a fresh mandate as he noted that the APGA chieftain has no credible achievements to showcase to the electorate.

“I can tell you that for him as a governor, it’s better for him to be counting on winning by his performance rather than the cooperation he will get from Abuja.

“We have an Igbo adage that says nobody sees with someone else’s eyes. Allowing him to win with the support of the APC from Abuja is like giving your eyes to him to see.”

Chief Okonkwo further submitted that with him in the saddle in Anambra State, it would be easy for APC to have an inroad into the south-east region.

“We can have a sitting governor in Anambra State of APC in 2027 with a robust and vibrant candidate.

“Our President, the leader of the party, is a seasoned and strategic politician, who is a true party man and knows that he will rather not sabotage his party or his candidate. So we’ve had that story, but our message to Soludo is that we are not buying that Abuja game. There is no arrangement and besides, Anambra people today have had enough.”

“Anambra people are fed up with him. That story is propaganda. APC is ready and Anambra is ready to connect with the centre. When we win the state, it is easier for us to connect with the Centre and stop the marginalisation of the south-east. We must connect with the centre.”

On the agitation for zoning, Chief Okonkwo argued that it should be downplayed as “Anambra has competent men and women in all senatorial zones. APGA is the only party shouting zoning in Anambra. APC isn’t zoning but wants the best candidate to win the election.”