APGA’S STRATEGIC
GAINS UNDER BARR. SYLVESTER EZEOKENWA IN 2025
By Wole Adedoyin
In 2025, the All Progressives Grand
Alliance (APGA) solidified its relevance in Nigerian partisan politics under
the national leadership of Barrister Sylvester Ezeokenwa — a
tenure underpinned by legal vindication, electoral victories, and strengthened
party structures. Ezeokenwa’s position as the authentic National
Chairman was confirmed by Nigeria’s Supreme Court,
ending a protracted leadership dispute that had threatened to weaken the
party’s cohesion and focus. The apex court ruled that Barr. Ezeokenwa was the
lawful national chairman and set aside rival claims to the position, providing
APGA with stable leadership at a crucial political moment.
This legal triumph was more than symbolic.
The Supreme Court and other courts barred rival claimants from parading
themselves as APGA leaders, directed INEC to restore Ezeokenwa as
chairman, and thereby prevented internal factionalism from derailing the
party’s national strategy. This court affirmation fortified APGA’s national
image and ensured organisational readiness for the 2025 electoral calendar.
With the leadership crisis resolved, APGA
mobilised effectively for a series of key by-elections in 2025, most notably in
Anambra State — the party’s stronghold. In August 2025,
the party scored significant legislative victories in both a Senatorial
by-election and a House of Assembly contest. In the Anambra South
Senatorial District, APGA’s Emmanuel Chibuzor Nwachukwu won a
hard-fought contest, amassing over 90,000 votes and defeating candidates from
the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other parties.
On the same day, APGA also secured a
victory in the Onitsha North I State Constituency for the
Anambra State House of Assembly. APGA’s candidate Ifeoma Azikiwe
emerged triumphant, defeating challengers from rival parties and reinforcing
APGA’s legislative footprint at the state level. These wins demonstrated not
only the party’s organisational muscle in its home state but also its appeal in
competitive democratic contests.
Collectively, these by-election victories
represented a consolidation of APGA’s political presence in
the National Assembly and the Anambra State legislature, enhancing the party’s
ability to influence legislative processes and advocate for the developmental
priorities of its constituents.
APGA’s influence was most vividly
displayed in the November 8, 2025 Anambra State Governorship Election,
where Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, running on the APGA
platform, won a landslide re-election victory. According to
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Soludo polled 422,664
votes, overwhelmingly defeating his closest rival, APC’s Nicholas
Ukachukwu, who scored 99,445 votes. Soludo’s victory spanned all 21
local government areas of Anambra State — a historic and emphatic
affirmation of the party’s dominance.
The magnitude of Soludo’s win — secured
with more than 70 percent of the total votes cast and decisive
coverage across nearly all electoral wards — underscored APGA’s resonance with
the electorate in Anambra. Party leaders described the outcome as a
reaffirmation of the confidence that Ndi Anambra place in APGA’s governance and
vision, particularly given Soludo’s reform agenda and service delivery during
his first term.
In his victory remarks and subsequent
celebratory events, Governor Soludo thanked the people of Anambra for renewing
their mandate, promising to build on his administration’s achievements in
infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic development. Observers and
party stalwarts interpreted this mandate as a clear endorsement of
performance-based leadership and continuity.
Beyond securing the governorship, APGA’s
performance in the legislative by-elections and gubernatorial polls inevitably
boosted the party’s national profile. APGA demonstrated that
it could weather internal challenges and still deliver substantial electoral
outcomes — a message that resonated with its supporters and positioned the
party as an influential force in Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
Under Ezeokenwa’s stewardship in 2025,
APGA also focused on grassroots mobilisation, strengthening its state and
federal chapters, and engaging young voters through policy messaging that
emphasised development, unity, and accountability. These activities contributed
to the party’s strategic capacity to compete in fiercely contested electoral
terrain.
In sum, the year 2025 marked a turning
point for the All Progressives Grand Alliance. The party overcame
internal strife through a critical court victory, secured key legislative seats
in Anambra, and achieved a sweeping governorship victory — thereby consolidating
its hold on its core constituency and enhancing its relevance in national
politics. As APGA positions itself for future contests and broader national
engagement, these achievements under Barr. Sylvester Ezeokenwa’s leadership
offer a foundation for sustained growth and impact within Nigeria’s democratic
landscape.
Wole Adedoyin is the Caretaker Chairman of APGA in Osun State. Secretary
of APGA’s Publicity Committee and the Senior Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity to the APGA National Chairman.