2027: ‘Tinubu, Soludo not progressives’ – Jega

Political analyst, Mahmud Jega has said it would be difficult to assess President Bola Tinubu and Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo as progressives.

Jega explained that progressive politics is usually left-winged and people oriented, adding that the economic policies of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the past two years had been right-winged

According to him, it is difficult for Soludo to make the argument that his support for President Tinubu is because they are progressives.

Recall that the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, which is the governing party in Anambra, on Wednesday, declared it may not present a presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections, but could align with “progressives who share its ideology.”

The party, through its national Chairman, Sly Ezeokenwa explained that the decision would be taken by the party’s National Executive Committee, NEC, at the appropriate time, but stressed that fielding a candidate was not mandatory.

Soludo had also boldly described President Bola Tinubu as his friend of 22 years.

Soludo said he is unapologetic about his support for President Tinubu and his reforms.

The governor had visited Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

During his visit, Soludo wore a cap with Tinubu’s insignia.

However, Jega, speaking on Arise News on Wednesday evening, said there was nothing progressive about right-winged politics and Soludo’s support for Tinubu.

He warned that APGA might end up regretting not fielding a presidential candidate in 2027.

“You see, given everything that he said, APGA is inclining towards the ruling APC. Some of the things he [Soludo] said are debatable. For example, that they are together as progressives, and this and that.

“Progressive politics usually means left-winged, you know, labour, people oriented and all that. And the economic policies that the APC government has been pursuing in the last two years are absolutely right-winged. Ending subsidies and things like that.

“And Professor Soludo himself, who was governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, famous international economist, but a right-wing economist.

“So it is difficult to make the argument that they are together as progressives.

“Now this issue about whether APGA will field a presidential candidate in 2027 reminds us of what happened in 2003 when the Alliance for Democracy, which at that time controlled the six south western states, refused to field a presidential candidate against the then President Olusegun Obasanjo and it turned out to be a disaster, because they lost five of their governors.

“The only one that survived was the governor of Lagos. It looks to me that the game APGA is playing now is to say, ‘look APC and President Tinubu, will support you for your reelection, but let us keep control of Anambra State.”