By: Godwin Offor
Ndi APGA, there is a fundamental political question you must answer to the people of Anambra State: What compelling reason do you have to ask Ndi Anambra to abandon Peter Obi, their proud son, former governor of the state and former member of APGA, in favour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, simply to protect the political interests of your party?
This is a question that deserves an honest answer, not political slogans, party propaganda or appeals to blind loyalty.
Peter Obi is not a stranger to Anambra politics. His political history is closely tied to the state, where he served as governor and built a political identity that continues to resonate with many of its people. His association with APGA remains an important part of that history, even though he has since moved to other political platforms. Today, as the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), his political ambition presents a fresh test of loyalty, leadership and political principle for Ndi Anambra.
The question is whether party loyalty should be more important than the people’s judgment of a candidate’s record, character, competence and vision for Nigeria.
Is Party Loyalty More Important Than the People’s Interest?
APGA has every right to defend its political interests, promote its candidates and seek electoral victories. That is the purpose of a political party. However, a political party must also recognise that its existence is not an end in itself. Parties exist to serve the people, not to demand unquestioning loyalty from them.
If APGA believes President Tinubu deserves another opportunity to lead Nigeria, it should present convincing evidence to support that position. It should explain how his administration’s policies have improved the lives of ordinary Nigerians, strengthened the economy, created jobs, reduced hardship and delivered tangible benefits to Anambra State.
It is not enough to tell Ndi Anambra to support Tinubu because doing so may be politically convenient for APGA. The people deserve reasons that go beyond party calculations.
Likewise, supporters of Peter Obi must be prepared to defend his candidacy on its merits. No politician should be above scrutiny, and no party should be exempt from questions about its decisions.
The real issue is not whether APGA should abandon its political identity. It is whether the party can explain its political choices in a way that genuinely serves the people it claims to represent.
The Bitter Truth About Political Alliances
The recent controversy surrounding APGA’s call for its supporters to reject Obi and the NDC has brought this debate into sharper focus. The Anambra State Government has accused Obi of working against APGA since leaving the party in 2014, while APGA leaders have defended their political alignment with Tinubu by pointing to what they describe as his support for infrastructure development in the South-East. These are political claims that deserve public examination, not automatic acceptance.
If APGA believes Obi betrayed the party, it should explain the specific actions that justify that accusation and allow the public to assess the evidence. If it believes Tinubu has offered more to the South-East, it should identify the projects, policies and measurable outcomes that support that position.
The people deserve facts, not merely emotional appeals.
Political disagreements are normal in a democracy. However, the language of betrayal should not become a substitute for policy debates. A politician’s departure from a party does not automatically make every subsequent decision wrong, just as remaining in a party does not automatically make a politician right.
What Does Anambra Stand to Gain?
For Ndi Anambra, the presidential election should be about more than the personal relationship between Peter Obi and APGA or the political relationship between APGA and the APC.
It should be about the future of the state and the country.
Who has the most credible plan to tackle insecurity? Who can improve electricity supply, strengthen small businesses, reduce the cost of living and create meaningful employment for young Nigerians? Who can improve education, healthcare and infrastructure while managing public resources responsibly?
These are the questions that should guide the debate.
Anambra is home to entrepreneurs, traders, industrialists, professionals and young people whose ambitions extend far beyond party politics. Their economic prospects depend on national policies, security, infrastructure and the overall business environment.
Consequently, any political party seeking their support must demonstrate how its preferred candidate can address these practical concerns.
APGA should not assume that Ndi Anambra owe automatic support to any presidential candidate simply because the party has made a political choice. Nor should Obi’s supporters assume that his Anambra heritage alone settles the question of presidential suitability.
Both the party and the candidate must earn public confidence.
Must Ndi Anambra Choose Between APGA and Peter Obi?
This is perhaps the most important question in the entire controversy.
APGA has its own identity, electoral ambitions and responsibility to sustain its political relevance in Anambra State. Peter Obi, on the other hand, has chosen to pursue his presidential ambition under the NDC.
Those are separate political realities. Supporting APGA in state elections does not necessarily require a voter to agree with every presidential endorsement made by the party. Similarly, supporting Obi for president does not automatically mean a voter must abandon APGA at the state level.
Voters can assess candidates and parties according to the different offices they seek to occupy, provided they understand the electoral choices before them.
The practical challenge for APGA is to convince its supporters that its political alliances serve their interests. The challenge for Obi is to demonstrate that his presidential agenda offers credible solutions to Nigeria’s problems.
Neither side should expect a blank cheque.
The Final Question for Ndi APGA
Ndi APGA, the bitter truth is that political loyalty cannot replace public accountability.
If your party asks Ndi Anambra to reject their former governor and support President Tinubu, it must explain why that choice is better for the people. It must show what Anambra and the South-East stand to gain, what commitments have been made and how those commitments will be measured.
If APGA’s argument is that Obi left the party, then the public deserves more than a reminder of his defection. It deserves a serious discussion of the consequences of his political decisions and the alternatives being offered.
And if Tinubu is the preferred candidate, the case for him should stand on his record, policies and future commitments, not simply on the fact that APGA has chosen to align with his administration.
The presidency is not a reward for party loyalty, and the future of Anambra should not be reduced to a contest of political egos.
Peter Obi is not entitled to Ndi Anambra’s votes merely because he is their son. Tinubu is not entitled to those votes merely because APGA supports him. Every candidate must make a convincing case to the electorate.
Ultimately, Ndi Anambra must decide whether their priorities are best served by APGA’s preferred political alliance, Obi’s presidential ambition or another choice altogether.
The real question is not who APGA wants Ndi Anambra to support. It is who can make the strongest, most credible case for improving the lives of Nigerians.
That is the debate the people deserve.
And that is the standard every political party and presidential candidate should be prepared to meet.
