APGA candidates fear loss as governors back Tinubu in Osun, Anambra

The coordination of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign by Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke and Anambra Governor Prof Chukwuma Soludo has sent ripples through the ranks of APGA candidates. National Assembly hopefuls from the All Progressives Grand Alliance say the move could tilt the balance toward the Nigeria Democratic Congress, while voters may struggle to separate presidential from legislative choices. The concern was voiced to Sunday PUNCH by several candidates who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.

Both governors were formally inaugurated as coordinators of the APC 2027 Presidential Campaign Council on October 14, a decision that merged the ruling party’s top‑down campaign engine with two opposition figures. In Osun, the appointment of Accord governor Adeleke to lead Tinubu’s campaign has left many APC hopefuls uneasy, fearing that the alliance will boost the Accord slate at their expense. In Anambra, the partnership has ignited anger within APGA, where members view Soludo’s role as a betrayal of the party’s independent identity.

Among the APGA voices, a House of Representatives candidate from Awka warned that the governor’s joint stakeholder meeting with the APC has stalled campaign activities across the state. “The governor never told us from the beginning that anything like this would happen. APGA candidates across Anambra are not happy now, and they will never forgive Soludo,” she said, adding that the confusion could drive voters to cast bloc votes for NDC candidates as a protest. Her remarks hinted at a possible “revolution” if the party’s prospects deteriorate.

A state House of Assembly candidate echoed the sentiment, noting that protests within APGA have deepened since Soludo’s appointment. He explained that rank‑and‑file legislators fear the alignment will hand sympathy votes to NDC candidates, especially in rural markets where voters struggle to separate the presidential and legislative ballots. “How can market women be convinced to vote for the APC at the top and then APGA at the bottom? It doesn’t make sense,” he told reporters.

APGA’s own publicity secretary, Ejimofor Opara, attempted to calm the nerves, insisting the party remains committed to electing its candidates to the Senate, the House of Representatives and the state assembly. Opara said all party members and supporters had been briefed on the arrangement, arguing that backing Tinubu does not preclude a strong APGA performance in the legislative contests. Nonetheless, many grassroots activists remain skeptical, fearing the governor’s dual role could dilute the party’s brand.

In Osun, the reaction among APC and Accord candidates has been mixed. One anonymous House of Representatives hopeful described Adeleke’s appointment as a “huge minus” for APC contenders, suggesting that the governor’s influence could tilt resources toward Accord. He pointed to senior APC figures Ajibola Basiru and Iyiola Omisore as likely allies of Adeleke, thereby amplifying the perception that the ruling party’s campaign machinery is now serving a rival.

Another APC aspirant labeled the development “abnormal and discouraging,” arguing that Tinubu’s decision ignored the interests of APC candidates in Osun. He warned that voters might be misled into supporting the Accord slate for all three ballot papers, a scenario that could erode the APC’s legislative prospects. Despite these concerns, the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Wole Oke, downplayed the impact, stating that Adeleke’s role does not guarantee any advantage to Accord and that he remains confident of APC victories in the upcoming elections.

Ayodele Asalu, the APC candidate for the Ede‑North/Ede‑South/Egbedore/Ejigbo federal constituency, expressed optimism, claiming the current arrangement actually benefits his party. “I am confident this will be an advantage for the APC. I will win the election; I am not afraid of anything,” he asserted, reinforcing the belief that the APC’s ground game will outweigh any perceived boost to Accord.

Conversely, Adewale Egbedun, speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly and chair of the Accord National and State Assembly slate, projected a sweeping victory for his coalition. He envisaged a “38‑0” outcome, securing all three senatorial seats, nine House of Representatives seats and the full complement of state assembly seats. Egbedun argued that Tinubu’s success will translate into support for both Accord and APC candidates, insisting that voter confusion can be mitigated through sustained engagement.

Yet, a House of Representatives candidate from Osun West voiced a stark warning about the practicalities of voting. He feared that elderly and illiterate voters, who admire Adeleke and intend to support the APC presidential ticket, might inadvertently cast their ballots for the APC across all three contests. “Once you tell someone to vote for the APC in one election, there is a tendency for that person to vote for the APC in the other elections as well,” he said, underscoring the risk of misaligned votes.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has scheduled the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives elections for January 16, 2027, with each voter receiving three separate ballot papers. As the campaign season intensifies, parties across the spectrum are scrambling to educate voters on the distinct choices, a task made more complex by the overlapping campaign leadership. Observers note that the outcome of this political realignment could reshape the legislative map in both Osun and Anambra, potentially giving the NDC a foothold in regions traditionally dominated by the APC and its allies.

As the election calendar approaches, the final test will be whether the parties can clarify the three‑ballot system to a diverse electorate and whether the governor‑coordinator arrangement will indeed sway votes toward the ruling party or spark a backlash that benefits opposition forces. The next weeks will reveal how APGA candidates deal with the tension between supporting Tinubu’s presidential bid and safeguarding their own legislative ambitions.