On Your Mandate: South-East APC Leaders Endorse Tinubu for 2027, Reject Peter Obi’s Ambition

In a decisive and unified political declaration, the leaders, elders, and critical stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Nigeria’s South-east region have passed a resolution to fully endorse and campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 presidential election.

The move is a direct strategic counter to the political activities of the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and aims to consolidate the region’s votes behind the ruling party.

The historic resolution was reached at the end of a significant consultative meeting, termed ‘Izu Umunne’ (Family Meeting), held at the Presidential Hotel in Enugu. The meeting was convened to deliberate on the region’s political future and was attended by a high-powered delegation, including all three APC governors from the South-east: Senator Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Mr. Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, and the host, Mr. Peter Mbah of Enugu State.

Also present were former Senate Presidents, Ken Nnamani, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment national and state assembly members, party chieftains, and other influential figures from the zone.

A communique issued at the end of the lengthy deliberations stated the region’s “unalloyed, total and unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as our sole and undisputed presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.”

The document categorically dissociated the people of the South-east from all political activities motivated by “the self-serving interests of any individual, however highly placed,” a clear reference to Peter Obi’s recent cross-party political mobilization.

The formal motion for the endorsement was moved by former Senate President, Senator Pius Anyim, and was seconded by another former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani, who described the decision as both courageous and strategic for the future interests of the Igbo people.

The leaders drew a firm line against the historical pattern of scattering the South-east’s electoral votes across multiple political parties, a practice they stated has “historically diminished our influence and bargaining power” at the national level. They vowed that the region would not be swayed into supporting any other presidential candidate in 2027.

The communique insisted that “every vote cast by Ndigbo voters, both within and outside the South-East zone, must be for President Tinubu, regardless of any person’s political ambition from the zone.”

This strong stance comes barely eleven days after Mr. Peter Obi, during a multi-party stakeholders event in Enugu, declared his “full membership” of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). At that event, Obi had promised to use the ADC platform to “retrieve Nigeria from bad leadership,” signaling his intention to pursue the presidency again in 2027. The APC leaders’ meeting was widely interpreted as a direct and organized response to counter what has been termed the “Obi Factor.”

The APC leaders justified their endorsement by expressing satisfaction with President Tinubu’s administration. They commended him for what they described as “the significant strides recorded under his administration, especially the focused efforts to bridge long-standing infrastructural gaps in the South-east,” and noted his “demonstrated commitment to inclusive governance” through appointments. They expressed conviction that Tinubu’s “continued stewardship holds the brightest prospects for accelerated development of our region and the nation as a whole.”

In his address to the gathering, Governor Peter Mbah framed the region’s alignment with the APC as a necessary “paradigm shift grounded in pragmatism.” He declared that the South-east had moved from “standing at the crossroads of history to shaping history itself,” by choosing to negotiate from within the ruling party. Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State expressed confidence that by 2027, all governors in the South-east would be members of the APC. He urged existing party leaders to embrace reconciliation and sacrifice to manage the expected influx of new members.

To translate their resolution into electoral success, the leaders outlined a concrete mobilization plan. This includes intensifying voter education and registration drives, strengthening party structures at all levels, and embarking on unity-building efforts across the five states. They made specific administrative assignments, tasking Governors Peter Mbah of Enugu and Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi with the responsibility of supervising and mobilizing for the APC in Anambra State, while Governor Hope Uzodimma will continue to oversee Imo State.

The communique concluded with an irrevocable commitment “to mobilising every available human, material and spiritual resources to deliver massive bloc votes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu across the five South-eastern states in 2027.” The leaders called on all Igbo people at home and in the diaspora to rally behind the APC as “the most effective platform for realising our political, economic and social aspirations.”