There is growing anxiety within the camp of Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, following reports that President Bola Tinubu has withdrawn his support for the governor’s re-election bid and thrown his weight behind the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, less than 24 hours before the governorship election.
THE WHISTLER gathered that Governor Soludo had earlier assured President Tinubu of his intention to support his 2027 re-election campaign and had reportedly hinted at the possibility of defecting to the APC if he secured a second term under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
However, the president’s recent actions -particularly his open endorsement of the APC candidate – are said to have rattled Soludo’s camp, which had previously believed that Tinubu’s silence signaled implicit support for the incumbent governor.
“The governor got played. He was not in full grasp of things,” a top source within Soludo’s camp disclosed on Friday.
“He truly believed the president would stand by him. But we’re still confident that Governor Soludo will win, although it will be a close race,” he told THE WHISTLER amid frantic efforts to move campaign officials to their various locations.
Insiders also revealed that not all is well within the APGA structure, as some senior officials have accused Soludo of running an isolated administration. “The problem is that the governor doesn’t carry everyone along. He feels he knows too much,” a source at the APGA Secretariat told THE WHISTLER.
According to the source, a delegation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) arrived from Abuja during the week and held a meeting with a senior government official, which reportedly ended in disarray.
“A permanent secretary told the INEC officials that the governor made no plans for their arrival. That was a shocker. They expected a welcome reception, but there was none. Even the permanent secretary said she was tired and that the governor seemed ready to lose,” the source said.
In contrast, the APC campaign camp has been in buoyant mood, expressing optimism about their chances at the polls. “We are the party at the centre, and we will win,” a campaign official declared at Ukachukwu’s base, where the team held a final strategy meeting ahead of Saturday’s election.
“Governors under the APC are here; the National Chairman is here; Governor Hope Uzodimma will also be here. It’s a solid team that will ensure APC wins,” he explained.
When asked whether the APC could win in a free and fair contest, the official replied, “The balance of victory tilted towards the APC when the president gave his full support. The failure of Governor Soludo is glaring. Anambra people are tired of him and want him gone. That’s why they’ll vote massively for Ukachukwu tomorrow.”
Another senior campaign strategist described Ukachukwu’s grassroots engagement as a “game changer.” “Prince Ukachukwu’s pact with market women was brilliant. He assured them of inclusive governance,” the strategist said.
“When the president visited Anambra to commission a project, he was told that it’s better to have a son than an adopted son for the 2027 election. That resonated with him. With an adopted son, he might get 25 percent, but with a true son, he could get 85 percent. So, if you were him, which would you choose?”
The metaphor of “son” and “adopted son” emerged during the campaign when reports circulated that Soludo had been “adopted” by the president as his political protégé, sparking tension within the APC.
However, the controversy was put to rest when top party leaders and government officials attended the APC rally in large numbers, signaling a united front.
The president reportedly dispatched Senate President Godswill Akpabio to Anambra to campaign alongside the party’s candidate.
Also present were the National Chairman of the party, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and several APC governors.
Delivering the president’s message at the rally, Akpabio told the crowd, “An adopted son is not the same as a biological son. We have a son in Anambra who is Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu. We have come to present him to you as the next governor of Anambra State.”
Corroborating the message, the APC National Chairman declared, “If anybody is claiming that he is an adopted son in APC, he is lying. We have only one son, and he is Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu – ‘Ikukuoma’ Ndi Anambra.
“If you are not APC, you are not. There is no counterfeit. I urge you to use the broom to sweep away the ghost APGA.”
