2027: APC Governors in South-East endorse Tinubu, promise bloc votes

Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria’s South-East have formally endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office, pledging to mobilise bloc votes across the region ahead of the 2027 general election.

The endorsement was led by Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo State and chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, alongside Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State.

The decision was announced at a South-East APC stakeholders’ meeting tagged “Izu Umunna”, held in Enugu, where party leaders, lawmakers and elders from the zone resolved to fully align with the ruling party at the centre.

Speaking at the meeting, Uzodimma described the endorsement as a strategic and historic move, citing what he called economic growth and stability under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope administration.

> “What could be more momentous than adopting President Tinubu as the consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 election, given the growth and stability our economy has witnessed under his administration, which has also stimulated expansion across other critical sectors,” Uzodimma said.

He warned that continued political isolation had weakened the South-East’s influence at the national level, stressing that the region must now embrace pragmatic, interest-driven politics.

> “Politics is pay as you earn. No zone can produce a president alone. If we continue to vote provincially, we will remain on the sidelines of national power,” he added.

Uzodimma recalled that the South-East contributed about six per cent of votes to the APC in the 2023 presidential election, far below the figures recorded in other geopolitical zones. He said the imbalance limited the region’s bargaining power.

He, however, pointed to recent gains by the party in the zone, noting that the APC now controls three of the five South-East states, with increased representation in the National Assembly. According to him, APC seats in the Senate have grown from six to eight, while seats in the House of Representatives have risen from eight to 23.

> “These numbers give us hope, but they also give us a challenge. The growth among leaders must reflect at the ballot box in 2027,” Uzodimma said.

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah described the endorsement as a “paradigm shift grounded in pragmatism,” arguing that alignment with the federal government had already begun yielding tangible benefits for the region.

He cited projects such as the revival of the eastern railway corridor, gas and energy initiatives, and the concession of the Enugu airport, which he said would position the state as an international gateway to the South-East.

> “The Renewed Hope Agenda is beyond a political slogan. It is about aligning vision at the centre with delivery at the states,” Mbah said.

Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru expressed optimism that all South-East governors would be members of the APC by 2027. He urged party leaders to prioritise reconciliation and effectively manage the growing influx of new members.

A formal motion endorsing Tinubu for a second term was moved by former Senate President Pius Anyim and seconded by another former Senate President, Ken Nnamani.

> “If you cry in the rain, nobody notices you. If you want to avoid the rain, you must stand under a shelter,” Nnamani said, in support of the decision.

At the end of the meeting, a communiqué signed by governors and stakeholders declared Tinubu the APC’s sole presidential candidate for the 2027 election. The communiqué rejected ego-driven and divisive politics, while committing the region’s human, material and political resources to delivering bloc votes for the president across the five South-East states.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Ikedi Ohakim, serving and former lawmakers, senators, and party elders from across the zone.