Dr. Alex Obiogbolu is the Political Adviser to Governor Charles Soludo and an aspirant for Anambra North Senatorial District. In the countdown to the primary elections of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), he speaks with OKEY MADUFORO on the fate of the party and his ambition

As the Political Adviser to Governor Soludo, how do you assess the chances of APGA in the face of alliances?

There is nothing wrong in forming alliances but the ideology behind it and if it is aiming at changing the party in power without the followers believing that the alliance of coalition would guarantee good and populist governance then it is good to go.

When you understudy the last general election in the country, you would discover that APGA as a party was above board and sustained its control and strong holds and the worse victim was the PDP which lost most of its seats at the National Assembly to the then Labor Party but APGA stood tall.

At this present dispensation, it would even get better due to the fact that the party is better emboldened ahead of the 2027 general election, and this is made manifest in the leadership role of Governor Charles Soludo who has always been desirous of taking the party to the next level.

You talked about the role of Governor Soludo and today some people are not comfortable with his brand of politics?

The message from the National Leader of our great party and Governor of our dear state, Prof. Charles Soludo is clearer. At the recent South-East Zonal Stakeholders Meeting, he spoke without ambiguity stating that the era of opportunistic and fair-weather membership is gone.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance is committed to returning to its core ideals – loyalty, consistency, and genuine service.

The party is drawing a firm line against those who see it as a mere launchpad for personal ambition, only to abandon it when convenient. Discipline, accountability, and recognition of true and loyal party men and women are now the order of the day. In the contest for the senatorial, I stand out as a shining example of these values.

While some aspirants have built reputations around opportunism and political convenience, I have remained unwaveringly loyal in season and out of season, committed to the growth of APGA, and consistent in service. My political ideology truly embodies the spirit of ‘be your brother’s and sister’s keeper,’ the mantra of our great party.

As the party moves towards reaffirming its identity and as the primary election draws closer, the decision before party faithful is straightforward: reward proven loyalty, uphold experience, and entrust the senatorial ticket to me ,because my record of steadfastness speaks for itself.

You have been involved in several elections in Anambra State. What informed your latest ambition?

My aspiration to represent Anambra North Senatorial Zone in the Senate is driven by a sincere desire to serve our people and advance a vision of inclusive and people-centered development across the zone.

I remain committed to pursuing practical and impactful initiatives in agriculture, healthcare, education, environmental sustainability, youth empowerment and economic opportunities for our people. I believe that governance must directly touch the lives of the people, create opportunities for families and empower communities to thrive.

My focus is to ensure that our farmers receive the support they deserve, our youths are equipped with opportunities for growth, our schools and healthcare systems receive needed attention and our environment is protected for future generations.

I also believe strongly in inclusive representation where every community, stakeholder and party faithful will be carried along. Leadership must be transparent, accountable and accessible to the people at all times.

As a loyal party man, I remain committed to the ideals and progressive vision of APGA, and I pledge to offer a representation that both the people and our great party will be proud of.

I therefore call on APGA faithful across Anambra North to rally behind this aspiration during the party primaries as we work together to build a stronger, united and more prosperous senatorial zone for all.

Your Senatorial District has challenges of several magnitude. What would you do differently?

Anambra North is obviously the food basket of the state and even the South East geopolitical zone there is no doubt about that. But what is challenging is the drive and the political will to explore areas of importance to jumpstart the process of agricultural revolution in Anambra North.

When I was at Ayamelum Local Government area it was a great opportunity to revisit the needs and challenges of the area and it is not far from what Ogbaru, Anambra East and West local government areas are facing and when I get to the Red Chambers I will hit the ground running. I would emphasize a results-driven approach focused on agriculture, education, and critical infrastructure as his strategic development plan for Anambra North Senatorial zone.

I pledge to improve access to farming inputs, develop internal farm roads, and strengthen the agricultural value chain to boost productivity and rural incomes. Representation must be purposeful. It is about identifying real challenges and pursuing solutions that improve lives. Our people deserve better.

They need policies that translate into opportunities especially for farmers, traders, and workers. I shall pursue strong collaboration with both federal and state governments to ensure that the promises of the Renewed Hope and Solution Agenda translate into visible development for the people.

Again, I shall prioritize education support, expansion of road and water transportation, improvement in healthcare delivery, electricity supply, and strengthening security across the zone as some of the major areas of strategic partnership with the federal and state governments.

There shall be targeted programmes for youth and women development as central to inclusive growth because representation must be practical, impactful, and focused on meeting the real needs of the people.

Are you not worried that as a Political Adviser your party has not made a meaningful impression beyond Anambra State?

That is not correct because there are no laid down parameters to measure the progress or mileage of the party and if there is, tell me.

You cannot be judging the success of a political party based on how many Governors the party has produced but the acceptability of the party among the grassroot.

Go to the North East and North Central let alone the South East and South-South you would find members of the state Assembly that are loyal and card-carrying members of our party. We also have them at the National Assembly level so to profile APGA in that status is totally wrong and unacceptable to me.

But you may not produce a Presidential candidate in 2027?

That is not part of the template to access a political party and it is not mandatory for the party and come to think of it APGA believes in a political alliance that is fruitful and being the first registered political party in Nigeria.

We have this affinity with any political party that professes progressivism hence the alliance with the All Progressives Congress (APC) which is the party at the center and we have a lot to do with them for the continuous rise and rise of our dear state, Anambra .