It's a classic case of Nigerian political pragmatism mixed with a side of "wait, what?" optics. Let me break it down straight, based on the facts as they stand right now in April 2026.
APGA just released its 2027 primaries timetable (literally in the last couple of days), pegging the presidential nomination form at ₦75 million. At the same time, Governor Charles Soludo has repeatedly and openly declared that APGA will not field a presidential candidate. Instead, the party (and he personally) is throwing full weight behind President Bola Tinubu's re-election on the APC platform. Soludo has said this publicly multiple times since early 2025 through March 2026 — citing a 22-year friendship, strategic partnership, and the need for the South-East not to "waste votes." APGA's national leadership has aligned with him on this.
So why set a ₦75m price tag for a ticket the party leadership has already said it won't use?
High nomination fees are standard across Nigerian parties — it's how they fund operations, campaigns, and the party machinery without relying solely on donations or "godfathers." Even if no serious contender emerges (or if the process is more symbolic), aspirants who buy the forms still pay. It's revenue generation dressed up as internal democracy. Critics are already pointing out the obvious: who drops ₦75 million knowing the party has pre-endorsed Tinubu?
Soludo is playing the long game as a sitting governor. Aligning with the centre (federal government/APC) is smart governance math in Nigeria's system — it can unlock federal projects, allocations, security support, and infrastructure for Anambra. He's been very explicit: politics isn't ideology for him; it's about delivery. APGA has historically been a South-East regional force (strong in Anambra), but Soludo sees value in a "party at the centre" alliance rather than running a symbolic presidential ticket that might split votes or achieve nothing.
This is where it looks messy to many observers. You can't blame people for seeing it as either. A fundraising ploy while the real decision is already made.
Or keeping the door cracked open for flexibility (in case Tinubu's fortunes shift dramatically).
Some APGA faithful feel it's diluting the party's identity and "selling out" the South-East's independent voice. Others hail it as mature politics — backing a performing (or at least incumbent) president instead of token opposition.
I can say it's shrewd short-term politics in a very transactional system, but it highlights deeper issues in Nigerian democracy. Parties often function more like vehicles for power and resources than vehicles for clear ideology or regional advocacy. Soludo's no-apologies stance is refreshingly blunt — he's not pretending. But the ₦75m ticket fee while pre-committing to APC makes the whole primaries process feel performative. It reinforces the perception that big money, not broad participation, drives the game.
But, the bigges questio is, does Anambra get tangible federal wins from the alignment? Does the South-East feel genuinely represented, or sidelined? Voters will judge that in 2027. For now, it's a reminder that in Nigerian politics, loyalty is often to outcomes and access, not party logos, but it can leave supporters feeling like the party structure is secondary to the governor's personal calculus.
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