Political Checkmate: How APC Strategically Undermined Soludo’s Strongest Challenger, Valentine Ozigbo

 

A calculated move by Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has dramatically reshaped the political landscape of Anambra State. In what appears to be a high-stakes political maneuver, Valentine Ozigbo, widely viewed as the most formidable challenger to Governor Charles Soludo in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, has defected from the Labour Party to the APC under circumstances that have raised eyebrows and stirred intense political debate.

Sources within both camps confirm that this defection wasn’t merely a shift in party allegiance, but a tactical play orchestrated to neutralize Ozigbo’s candidacy altogether. The APC, according to insiders familiar with the deal, had no intention of fielding Ozigbo as their gubernatorial candidate. Instead, the goal was clear: to eliminate the only serious threat to Soludo’s re-election by pulling Ozigbo out of the contest through strategic co-optation.

Political watchers are not surprised. Ozigbo, a respected businessman and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer in the 2021 elections, had become a rallying figure in the Labour Party, especially among youthful and reform-minded voters. His political narrative, fresh appeal, and grassroots support made him the candidate to beat. Governor Soludo’s tenure, while marked by technocratic reforms and infrastructure plans, has not escaped criticism, especially concerning rising insecurity and economic stagnation in key parts of the state.

The Labour Party’s growing momentum, especially in the wake of the 2023 general elections where credible contender under its platform would automatically pose a significant threat to incumbents. For Ozigbo, this threat was not hypothetical—it was tangible, and perhaps too visible to be ignored by the Peter Obi, a former Anambra governor, brought the party to national prominence, meant that any ruling establishment.

Behind closed doors, conversations were already underway weeks before the announcement. High-ranking APC operatives, including those with strong influence in the Presidency, are said to have approached Ozigbo with a compelling package—national appointments, strategic influence, and promises of long-term political relevance, albeit with one condition: he would not run.

Observers see this as a classic case of political horse-trading, a common feature in Nigerian electoral strategy, but the implications stretch far beyond party lines. The removal of Ozigbo from the ballot effectively consolidates the contest in Soludo’s favor, turning what was gearing up to be a competitive election into a likely walkover for the incumbent.

Critics argue that the APC’s move undermines democratic competitiveness and voter choice, reducing elections to behind-the-scenes negotiations rather than public mandates. Proponents, on the other hand, see it as a masterstroke—realpolitik executed with surgical precision. “The game is the game,” one APC stalwart remarked off-record. “We’re here to win, not to play fair.”

Questions now swirl around the Labour Party’s readiness to recover from this blow. Without Ozigbo, the party is left scrambling for a candidate with comparable recognition and voter confidence. There are murmurs of other aspirants rising from the ranks, but none currently possess the structure or statewide appeal to mount a serious campaign within the limited time frame.

For Anambra’s electorate, the unfolding drama is yet another reminder of the fragility of Nigeria’s political process—where alliances are fluid, ideology is negotiable, and the will of the people can often be outpaced by elite deals.

Ozigbo, for his part, has remained largely silent about the specific terms of his defection, though close aides hint at a public statement in the coming days. Whether his supporters will follow him into the APC or feel betrayed by what many are calling an opportunistic exit remains to be seen.

One thing is certain: the political chessboard has been reset. Governor Soludo now faces a far smoother path to re-election, and the APC has shown once again that when it comes to the art of political strategy, they’re playing for keeps.