"He Would Have Worked for Me" - Soludo Reflects on Bond with Late Ifeanyi Ubah, Welcomes Ex-YPP Loyalists to APGA

 

In a rare moment of personal and political introspection, Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, has opened up about the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’s quiet, but evident, shift towards aligning with his government before his untimely death. Soludo spoke on Tuesday in Awka during a symbolic gathering where dozens of former allies of the late Ubah officially defected to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Speaking with an unusual mix of emotion and candor, Soludo painted a picture of a long-standing relationship with Ubah that transcended political rivalry. According to the governor, the late lawmaker had recently admitted in private that unseating him in the upcoming November 8 governorship poll would be an uphill task—one he might not even attempt.

“Before his death, we sat in this very hall,” Soludo recalled. “I joked with him about his rumored governorship ambition, and he laughed. He said he had already spoken with his party leadership in APC but acknowledged how difficult it would be to remove me.”

Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who until his death in July 2024 represented Anambra South in the Senate, was widely speculated to be eyeing the governorship on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Ubah, known for his political mobility and grassroot appeal, had a political history that included affiliations with the Labour Party, Young Progressives Party (YPP), and previously, APGA.

Soludo recounted that the two had exchanged banter over a potential reunion in APGA, with Ubah expressing interest—albeit cautiously. “He told me that Sir Emeka Offor would arrange a meeting between us. Emeka later confirmed the same thing. Sadly, that meeting never happened,” Soludo said with a tone of regret.

As the governor welcomed the defectors—many of whom had been staunch followers of Ubah—he emphasized the egalitarian nature of APGA. “In this party, we are all equal. Whether you joined 10 years ago or today, you have the same rights and voice,” Soludo affirmed.

He also used the occasion to apologize posthumously for Ubah’s disqualification during the APGA primaries in 2019, saying he believed Ubah would have won that contest convincingly. Drawing a parallel to his own experience, Soludo narrated how he too was disqualified by APGA in 2013 despite his prominence as a former Central Bank Governor.

“What happened to Ubah in 2019 also happened to me. I was disqualified by the same party that I now lead as governor. Sometimes, destiny has a way of working things out,” he said reflectively.

The Governor also pledged that Ubah’s contributions and legacy would not be forgotten. “We will immortalize him. It may be a street, it may be a monument, but something significant will carry his name.”

Leading the wave of new entrants into APGA was Chuks Ogbonna, a former key figure in Ubah’s political structure. He described the group as a “formidable army” that had chosen to lay down political differences to support Soludo’s vision for Anambra.

“We come not as guests but as partners. The Ubah Political Family is now ready to build with you,” Ogbonna declared.

With the governor’s re-election bid looming and opposition ranks shifting, the absorption of Ubah’s loyalists could prove to be a strategic boost for Soludo and APGA. The governor, meanwhile, remains firm in his resolve to unify all forces willing to contribute to Anambra’s progress—regardless of past affiliations.