Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Paul Ikonne, has expressed optimism about President Bola Tinubu’s overwhelming victory in the South East.
The former Executive Secretary/CEO of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), predicated his claim on what he said is the consolidation of structures in the geo-political zone in support of President Tinubu.
According to him, Ndigbo are tired of isolation, hence the decision to align with the party at the centre, in a bid to attract rapid development to the area.
Speaking in an interview, the APC chieftain said President Tinubu’s endorsement by both serving and former Governors, ex–Senate Presidents, ministers and other top political figures, indicates a strategic return of the South-East to the centre of national politics.
Ikonne said: “The calibre of leaders backing this endorsement shows a clear consolidation of political structures in favour of President Tinubu and the APC”.
He maintained that “politics is about numbers and structure”, adding that “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.
He further downplayed the political strength of Peter Obi, alleging that his influence has waned significantly, especially in the South-east.
“If the only governor elected on his platform has effectively abandoned him, what does that tell you?,” he asked rhetorically.
While dismissing claims in some quarters that the APC is struggling for credibility in the South-east, the politician declared that the “broom” party has become the major destination for defectors from rival parties in the region.
“The Igbos are not fools, and no Igbo man wants to make one mistake two times. No, not at all.
“Aligning with the centre helps our businesses. We are all over Nigeria, and we cannot be seen to be against the government at the centre.
“So, the votes that will come from the South-east will not only be judged by the ones from those who are residing within the South-east, but from the ones who are residing outside the South-east.
“Outside that, using Abia as a case study, PDP has almost emptied into APC in Abia state. What does that tell you? It tells you that the votes which were lost without having PDP, now that those in PDP are part of APC in other states, we will have them”.
