Governors and key All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in the south‑east have formally endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, pledging to deliver bloc votes from the region in support of his re‑election.
Gatekeepers News reports that the South‑East APC Stakeholders’ Meeting tagged Izu Umunna in Enugu, Governors Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Peter Mbah of Enugu and Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi led the move to adopt Tinubu’s candidacy, saying the decision was based on pragmatic politics and the desire to strengthen the region’s influence in national affairs.
Uzodimma, who chairs the South‑East Governors’ Forum, said the region could no longer afford political isolation and emphasised that Tinubu had shown commitment to the south‑east ahead of 2027. He noted that the zone’s contribution to APC votes in 2023 was low and warned that continued fragmented voting would weaken the region’s bargaining power.
Governor Mbah described the endorsement as a shift grounded in pragmatism, pointing to federal projects such as the revival of the Eastern Railway corridor, energy initiatives and the Enugu Airport concession as examples of benefits from alignment with the centre.
Stakeholders and party elders said they would resist efforts to divide the south‑east’s votes by individual ambitions and instead work to mobilise massive support for Tinubu, while urging reconciliation and better management of the growing APC membership in the zone.
However, the endorsement has drawn criticism from some groups who argue that few tangible achievements justify the support and have rejected speaking on behalf of the entire region, saying voters will choose based on conscience.
