A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Prince Paul Ikonne, has declared that the South-East has effectively transformed into a political stronghold for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.
Ikonne made the assertion on Tuesday while speaking on TVC’s Politics Tonight, where he argued that the recent endorsement of Tinubu by South-East political leaders signals a decisive realignment of the zone with the centre.
According to the former Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), APC leaders in the region are no longer thinking in terms of marginal victories but overwhelming dominance at the polls.
“I think we have gone beyond 70 per cent. Some schools of thought believe that with the calibre of people we have in APC today in the South-East, 90 per cent will not be a good result for us considering the moves, defections and harvest of people we are getting.
“Politics is about numbers and structure. When leaders who command followership align, the votes follow. This endorsement is a clear statement that the South-East has properly realigned with the centre to ensure that its votes count,” he said.
Ikonne explained that the APC’s mobilisation drive goes beyond the five South-East states, extending to Igbo communities across Nigeria as part of a broader re-election strategy.
“Let me give you a clearer picture so you can understand what it means for the entire South. What Governor Hope Uzodinma is doing is not only for people residing in the South-East. No, he has set up a team that I am part of, which is now going around all the states in Nigeria where the Igbo reside, to engage and sensitise them to understand the need to key into the 2027 re-election bid of Mr President.
“So the votes that will come from the South-East will not only be judged by the ones from those residing within the region, but also by the ones residing outside.”
Using Abia State as an example, Ikonne claimed that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lost significant ground to the APC, with key figures defecting to the ruling party.
“Using Abia as a case study, PDP has almost emptied into APC in Abia State. What does that tell you? It tells you that we will have the votes lost by those in the PDP who are now part of APC in other states,” he assured.
The APC chieftain also downplayed the influence of the Labour Party and its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, arguing that changing political alliances have weakened the opposition’s footing in the region.
He alleged that Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, distanced himself from Obi’s reported political moves because he no longer believed in the former Anambra governor’s electoral strength.
“Our Governor Alex Otti is minus one in the sense that he doesn’t even have a party. As of today, he’s a member of the Labour Party, but he participated in local government elections with the ZLP.
“He has abandoned Peter Obi. So what does that tell you? He started with Peter Obi and he’s not ending up with Peter Obi. Why is he afraid? Why is his interest hinting towards APC? Because he has seen that Abians and South-Easterners have shifted to support President Tinubu,” he said.
Ikonne’s comments come amid intensifying political calculations in the South-East as parties position themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
