2027: S-East Govs, CAN, Monarchs back Tinubu’s re-election

…Hausa, Yoruba communities pledge support for APC candidates

By Aliuna Godwin

The governors of the South-East states, Christian leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders have reportedly declared support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The endorsement was announced on Monday during a town hall meeting organized by the Directorate of Infrastructure, Mobilization and Sensitization of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

The Nations News reports that representatives of the Hausa and Yoruba communities in Ebonyi State also pledged to mobilize their members in support of Tinubu and other APC candidates in the forthcoming elections.

Speaking at the meeting, the President of the Christian Fellowship of Nigeria (CFN), South-East Zone, Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, commended the Tinubu administration for what he described as its commitment to the development of the South-East, particularly through massive infrastructure projects.

Nwali urged members of the Christian community and residents of the region to support the President’s re-election, describing it as an opportunity to appreciate his administration’s interventions in the zone.

“We owe our leader, the President, and the Minister of Works, David Umahi, appreciation. The only way we can show this appreciation is to support the President in the 2027 general election,” he said.

Similarly, speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, Eze Sunday Oketa called on the people of the South-East to support Tinubu’s second-term ambition, arguing that the administration should be given sufficient time to complete its programmes and reforms.

He maintained that four years was insufficient for any administration to address the country’s numerous challenges and consolidate its policies.

“This administration has started work. Let us give them a chance to complete their eight years.

“Nigeria is too big to be governed and have everything put in place within four years. It is not possible.

“Let us support President Bola Tinubu. Let us not divide our votes,” Oketa said.

Also speaking, the leader of the Yoruba community in Ebonyi State and the leader of the Hausa community, Alhaji Danjuma Gambo, pledged to mobilize their respective communities to support Tinubu and all APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

Earlier, the Director of the Directorate of Infrastructure, Mobilization and Sensitization of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, said South-East governors had equally adopted Tinubu as their preferred presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

Umahi appealed to political leaders and residents of the region to put aside political sentiments and support the President’s re-election, arguing that such support would strengthen the South-East’s prospects of producing a Nigerian president in the future.

He maintained that the region should pursue an eight-year presidential tenure when it eventually produces a candidate for the nation’s highest political office.

According to him, supporting Tinubu for another four years would allow the South-East to consolidate its political interests and strengthen its claim to an uninterrupted eight-year presidential tenure when its turn comes.

“What we, the people of the South-East, want is eight years of presidency and not four years.

“The people who are saying that somebody should rule for only four years as President ruled for eight years as governor. If four years was enough, why did they govern for eight years as governors? They would have stopped at four years.

“Four years is an introduction. Our position as leaders of the South-East is that the Igbo need a complete eight years of presidency.

“We want eight years when it is our turn. We must support the re-election of President Bola Tinubu so that we can also govern for eight years when our time comes,” Umahi said.

The Minister urged political stakeholders in the region to rally behind the President, stressing that sustained political engagement and cooperation with the Federal Government were important to advancing the South-East’s interests.