Factional Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State, Chief Ifeanyi Osogbe, has expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will secure more than 30 per cent of the votes in the state during the 2027 presidential election, provided the party resolves its internal leadership crisis and presents a united front.
Osogbe, who is locked in a leadership dispute with Senator Emmanuel Anosike, said the APC’s performance in recent elections showed a steady growth trajectory that could translate into a significantly improved showing for President Tinubu in the state.
Speaking with some journalists in Abuja on the lingering crisis within the Anambra APC, Osogbe said the reconciliation committee established by the party’s national leadership would likely succeed in restoring peace.
The committee, headed by APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Dr. Ben Nwoye, recently met with stakeholders from the rival factions as part of efforts to resolve the dispute threatening party cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to Osogbe, the crisis stems from what he described as poor leadership and a flawed process that produced the current state executive led by Senator Anosike.
“The crisis is essentially about bad leadership and the flawed process that produced the outgoing leadership. Some of us are committed members of the party who have invested our time and resources to ensure that APC is steered in the right direction,” he said.
He alleged that the process that produced Anosike as chairman failed to comply with the party’s constitution and guidelines, prompting aggrieved members to seek judicial intervention.
“Before going to court, we wrote about ten letters to the party’s national leadership explaining our concerns. We were mindful of the constitutional provisions discouraging members from litigating congress matters, so we first exhausted all internal remedies available to us.
“Unfortunately, none of those efforts yielded results, and we eventually approached the court. On June 24, 2026, the court delivered judgment in our favour and nullified the process,” he stated.
Osogbe explained that APC guidelines ahead of the congress provided that members of the outgoing executive who had served only one term could seek re-election for a second term, while those who had completed two terms were expected to step aside.
He further noted that members who had previously left the party to contest elections under other political platforms were also barred from participating in the process.
According to him, the Congress Harmonisation Committee headed by Senator Uche Ekwunife, with Senator Anosike serving as deputy chairman, was expected to supervise a transparent process leading to the emergence of a new executive.
“Senator Anosike was never presented as an aspirant for the chairmanship position. However, on the morning of the congress, Senator Ekwunife suddenly presented him as the candidate, claiming it was based on directives from higher authorities. Many of us objected because APC is a democratic party and leadership should emerge through democratic processes,” he said.
Responding to reports that a peace formula being considered could allow Anosike to remain chairman while members of his camp occupy other positions, Osogbe dismissed such an arrangement.
“There is no way Anosike should continue because he was the genesis of the crisis we have. How can you allow somebody who is responsible for the crisis to continue? I will not be a party to that. Besides, I am not aware of any arrangement that would make me secretary or assign me any other position,” he said.
Despite his reservations, Osogbe expressed confidence that the reconciliation committee would arrive at a fair resolution acceptable to all parties.
“My expectation is that the outcome will be one that goes down well with both groups. The major objective of the committee is to make peace between the factions, and I believe they will achieve that objective,” he added.
On suggestions that the national leadership could direct him to accept Anosike’s continued leadership in the interest of party unity, Osogbe said he doubted such a decision would be taken.
“The party has listened to us and to other stakeholders. The committee is also expected to engage more members in Anambra. I do not think the party, in its wisdom, will still insist on keeping Anosike as the head of affairs of the party in the state,” he said.
Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, Osogbe argued that APC now enjoys stronger support in Anambra than it did in 2023, citing the influx of influential politicians from other parties and the performance of the party in the last governorship election.
He noted that while Tinubu secured only about 5,111 votes in Anambra during the 2023 presidential election, the APC governorship candidate in the state’s last governorship poll garnered nearly 100,000 votes.
“In 2023, Peter Obi was the Labour Party presidential candidate and naturally enjoyed enormous support in Anambra. Yet some of us still delivered our wards for APC.
“Today, many influential politicians have joined the party. Our governorship candidate, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, came into APC from APGA and has brought substantial support with him. We are seeing increasing acceptance of the party across the state.
“From about 5,111 votes in 2023, we moved to nearly 100,000 votes in the governorship election. With the right leadership and proper mobilisation, we are targeting over 200,000 votes for President Tinubu in 2027. We are not just talking about crossing the 25 per cent threshold; we are looking at over 30 per cent of the votes,” he said.
Osogbe described Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu as the current leader of the APC in Anambra by virtue of his emergence as the party’s governorship candidate and noted that he, alongside other prominent leaders such as Chief Olisa Metuh and Barrister Emeka Okafor, is well positioned to help broker peace.
He also welcomed the inclusion of Senator Uche Ekwunife in the reconciliation committee, expressing optimism that the panel would act in the overall interest of the party.
On allegations that external political forces, including Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, may have influenced Anosike’s emergence, Osogbe said external involvement was not necessarily unusual in politics.
“In politics, external influences are not uncommon. The issue is not who supported a particular individual but whether that individual possesses the capacity and leadership qualities needed to build the party and win elections.
“Our concern is that APC in Anambra has struggled for years without recording significant electoral victories. We need leaders who are focused on winning elections and growing the party, not those perceived as being more interested in controlling campaign resources,” he said.
Osogbe maintained that resolving the leadership dispute quickly is crucial if the APC hopes to maximize its chances in the 2027 elections and consolidate the gains made in recent years.
“We need a capable leader who can unite the party and lead the charge for victory—not only for President Tinubu but also for our candidates seeking election into the Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly. My interest is not a do-or-die affair. What matters is that APC emerges stronger and more competitive in Anambra,” he said.
