Governors of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) from the South‑East and key party stakeholders have formally endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term, pledging to deliver bloc votes from the region in the 2027 presidential election.
The endorsement was announced at the Izu Umunna South‑East APC Stakeholders’ Meeting held on Sunday at the Presidential Hotel, Enugu.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, and Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru, together with other party leaders and elders, resolved to align fully with the ruling party and rally support for Tinubu across the five states of the zone.
In a communiqué signed by governors and key stakeholders, the region’s political leadership reiterated its commitment to collective political strategy and warned against actions they said previously fragmented votes in the South‑East and weakened its influence at the national level.
Governor Uzodimma, who chairs the South‑East Governors’ Forum, said the zone could not “afford political isolation” and highlighted the need for unified political engagement to improve the region’s bargaining power in federal affairs.
He noted that the APC’s presence in the region has grown, with the party now controlling three of the five South‑East states and increasing its representation in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“There are lessons from the 2023 elections where the South‑East’s minimal vote contribution undermined our influence,” Uzodimma said, emphasising the importance of strategic alignment ahead of 2027.
Governor Mbah described the endorsement as a “paradigm shift grounded in pragmatism,” pointing to perceived benefits from alignment with the Federal Government.
He cited federal interventions such as work on the Eastern Railway corridor, gas and energy development initiatives, and the concession of the Enugu Airport as examples of tangible gains for the region.
Ebonyi Governor Nwifuru said the South‑East could see further political consolidation, expressing confidence that more governors in the region would join the APC by 2027.
Party elders, including former Senate Presidents Pius Anyim and Ken Nnamani, who moved and seconded the endorsement motion, warned that failure to adopt unified politics would perpetuate regional marginalisation in national affairs.
The stakeholders pledged to deploy human, material, and political resources to ensure bloc votes for Tinubu from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states in the 2027 election.
Despite the endorsement, critics within the region have raised concerns about the political strategy, with some asserting that unresolved regional issues and national grievances must be addressed for such commitments to yield broad grassroots support.
The announcement marks a significant early alignment by the South‑East APC ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle, as political actors across Nigeria begin mobilisation and coalition‑building efforts for the presidential contest.
