2027: ‘Tinubu, Soludo not Progressives’ — Jega
Political analyst Mahmud Jega has said it would be misleading to brand President Bola Tinubu and Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, as progressives.
Speaking on Arise News, Jega explained that true progressive politics is traditionally left-leaning, labour-friendly, and people-focused, unlike the economic direction the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken in the last two years. He learnt that the ruling party’s policies, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies and other fiscal measures, remain firmly right-wing and market-driven.
According to Jega, it is therefore difficult for Soludo to argue that his support for President Tinubu stems from any shared progressive ideology.
PulseNets obtained that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Soludo’s party, recently announced it might not present a presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections. Instead, APGA’s National Chairman, Sly Ezeokenwa, told PulseNets the party could align with “progressives who share its ideology,” although the final decision rests with the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Governor Soludo has openly defended his relationship with Tinubu, describing him as “a friend of over 22 years.” He also said he was unapologetic about backing the President and his ongoing reforms. During his courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Soludo wore a cap emblazoned with Tinubu’s insignia, a move seen as a bold statement of loyalty.
However, Jega disagreed, stressing that there is “nothing progressive about right-wing economics.” In his words, “Progressive politics usually means left-wing, labour, people-oriented policies. What the APC government has been pursuing these last two years are absolutely right-wing—ending subsidies and pushing market-driven reforms. Professor Soludo himself, a renowned international economist and former Central Bank Governor, is also a right-wing economist. So, it is very hard to sustain the claim that they are together as progressives.”
The political analyst further warned APGA against repeating history. He told PulseNets that the party’s current posture reminded him of 2003, when the Alliance for Democracy (AD) controlled all six South-Western states but refused to field a presidential candidate against then-President Olusegun Obasanjo. That decision, he said, ended disastrously as AD lost five of its governors, leaving only Lagos intact.
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Jega cautioned that APGA might regret a similar move in 2027. “What I see is APGA tilting towards the ruling APC, signalling that they will support Tinubu’s reelection bid while hoping to retain Anambra State. But Nigerian politics has shown that such bargains rarely end well.”
With 2027 fast approaching, analysts believe APGA’s strategy could either secure its dominance in Anambra or weaken its national influence altogether.
