APC Chieftain Claims South-East Will Back Tinubu in 2027

Prince Paul Ikonne, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, has claimed that the South-East has resolved to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Ikonne, a former Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), made the assertion on Tuesday while speaking on TVC’s Politics Tonight. He downplayed the political relevance of Abia State Governor Alex Otti and former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, insisting that their influence in the region has waned.

According to Ikonne, Governor Otti declined to follow Obi to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) because he believed Obi’s presidential ambition would not gain traction. He further argued that Otti is no longer a major political force, claiming the governor lacks a stable party structure.

“I think we have gone beyond 70 percent. Some schools of thought believe that, with the calibre of people joining APC in the South-East, even 90 percent support will not be a surprise,” Ikonne said, citing recent defections into the ruling party.

He disclosed that Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has constituted a team tasked with mobilising Igbos across Nigeria to support President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. Ikonne said the outreach extends beyond the South-East to Igbo communities nationwide.

Ikonne also accused Governor Otti of distancing himself from Obi, noting that although Otti was elected on the Labour Party platform, he conducted local government elections using the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

He argued that the South-East is increasingly determined to align with the centre, stressing that the region is no longer willing to remain politically isolated. “Southeasterners want to be part of governance. We need power, and we cannot afford to stay outside the centre,” he said.

Ikonne concluded that Obi’s diminishing influence is evident, adding that if the only governor elected on his platform has “effectively abandoned him,” it raises questions about his political standing ahead of 2027.