A two-decade-old friendship between Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is quietly emerging as one of the lesser-tracked yet potentially decisive dynamics shaping Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Political analyst Dr. Victor Adetula, speaking on Arise News’ The Morning Show, argued that the personal bond between the two leaders could grant Soludo a strategic edge and recalibrate political alignments across the South-East. “The Soludo–Tinubu relationship is not merely historical—it could become instrumental in reshaping alliances and influencing voter sentiments ahead of 2027,” Adetula noted.
Soludo, who secured a landslide victory in the Anambra governorship election with over 422,000 votes, significantly outperformed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which garnered just 99,000 votes despite federal backing. The once-dominant Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) managed a meagre 1,400 votes, signaling both Soludo’s local popularity and the continued erosion of traditional political strongholds in the region.
Why does this friendship matter?
In the 2023 general elections, Tinubu suffered a sharp decline in support across the South-East, particularly in Anambra and Enugu, where Labour Party candidate Peter Obi swept the polls. However, Soludo’s growing political influence—and his cordial ties with the president—could help bridge this regional divide.
According to Adetula, Soludo’s alliance with Tinubu could offer the president a new pathway into the South-East, especially given that Soludo’s party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has shown little interest in fielding a presidential candidate. “If Soludo were to align more closely with the APC, or even formally cross over, it could significantly expand Tinubu’s political reach,” Adetula observed.
Beyond electoral math, the relationship highlights a broader issue: the increasing weight of personal ties in Nigeria’s democratic process. As 2027 draws nearer, analysts warn that the line between personal loyalty and political strategy may blur, raising questions about the independence of political actors and the fairness of competition.
Whether friendship translates into political leverage remains to be seen—but in a nation where alliances often shape outcomes more than ideologies, the Soludo–Tinubu connection may prove to be one of the defining subplots of Nigeria’s next electoral chapter.