President Bola Tinubu’s official visit to Anambra State took an unexpected turn on Thursday, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) dominated the scene in what many described as a surprise political takeover. Despite the visit being hosted by the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), it was the APC that turned the event into a full-blown political showcase .

From the bustling streets of Awka to the Anambra International Cargo Airport, APC supporters flooded the area in large numbers, waving flags, chanting slogans, and donning party colors. Their presence was so overwhelming that it felt more like a campaign rally than a presidential visit. Strikingly, APGA was largely absent from the scene—aside from Governor Charles Soludo, who was the only visible representative of the ruling party.

Eyewitnesses noted that even the airport premises appeared to have more APC insignia than APGA presence. Leading the energetic APC delegation were the party’s governorship candidate, Prince Dr. Nicholas Ukachukwu, and State Chairman Chief Basil Ejidike. The duo used the opportunity to energize their base ahead of the November 8 gubernatorial election, turning the reception into what some called an unofficial campaign launch.

Ahead of the visit, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, Special Adviser to Governor Soludo on Political Matters, had urged party faithful not to wear party uniforms to the town hall meeting scheduled to hold at the refurbished Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka. Despite the advisory, APC supporters showed up in full party regalia, making their presence impossible to ignore.

The streets of Awka wore a new look in anticipation of the president’s arrival, but the optics quickly shifted in favor of APC, prompting questions from political observers. Was this a case of APGA mismanaging optics at a critical moment, or a calculated show of strength by the opposition?
