The South-South zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
This decision was reached yesterday at the party’s zonal stakeholders’ meeting held in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
In a move aimed at consolidating party strength in the region, the APC also resolved to adopt the four serving governors in the zone under the party’s platform as sole candidates for their respective governorship elections in 2027.
Those endorsed include Governor Bassey Edet Otu of Cross River State, who also serves as the APC South-South Zonal Coordinator, and Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State. However, Okpebholo’s next governorship election will hold in 2028 due to his off-cycle victory in the 2024 Edo governorship election, which took place on September 21, 2024.
The blanket endorsement also covers Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and Governor Umo Bassey Eno of Akwa Ibom State—both of whom recently defected to the APC from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Welcoming the delegates to the meeting at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, Benin, Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State noted that the meeting and the decision that would be taken had the potential to unite not only the South-South geopolitical zone, but the entire nation.
Okpebholo said the South-South had always spoken with one voice during critical moments, adding that the zone was gradually going back to its foundation of integrated politics.
He urged the remaining two governors in the zone to come on board the APC ship, so that the South-South could be united and speak with one voice.
APC Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori, who said he was performing his first official duty since he assumed office penultimate Friday, called for unity of purpose.
Dalori reiterated that the South-South remained strategic to the nation’s development, hence the need for the zone to be fully integrated into the party at the centre.
In his remarks, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who doubles as the APC leader in the zone, said that the South-South geopolitical zone “is the heartbeat of the nation’s economy.”
According to him;”South-South is the chicken, if you like, that lays the golden eggs. If we are the chicken that lays the golden eggs, we equally have the right to determine who shares the golden eggs that come from the South-South.
“Ahead of 2027, the South-South is speaking with one voice that we are with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu United. This is our mandate in the South-South”, Akpabio said .
The resolutions were formally presented in a communiqué read by Chief Victor Giadom, APC’s National Vice Chairman for the South-South.
The motion for adoption was moved by the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, and seconded by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North Senatorial District.
The meeting was presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio
The communique reads: “The South South commends the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his reforms and policies to reposition Nigeria. We commend Mr President for his uncommon love and support for the South South region, which clearly reflected in the emergence of Senate President from the region. We also take cognizance of the massive developmental projects in the region, including and not limited to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road.”
“We, therefore, unanimously pass a vote of confidence on our Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, for his leadership qualities and for uniting South South and support for the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President.”
“We welcome the governors, stakeholders and supporters of Delta and Akwa-Ibom States for their patriotic and courageous decisions of embracing the Renewed Hope Agenda and joining the APC.”
“We therefore call on the remaining two none APC governors of the region namely governors of Bayelsa and Rivers States and their supporters to also join the progressive family”
“We pass a vote of confidence in governors of Edo, Cross Rivers, Delta and Akwa-Ibom states for their performance in good governance and should be re-elected in their respective states.”
“We commend the party in the South South, elected senators, members of House of Representatives, Ministers of the Federal Government of Nigeria from the South South, heads of MDAs, political appointees for their loyalty to the party authority and support for the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
“We also commend the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for his continued support for the President and the Renewed Hope Agenda. We sincerely appreciate all elders of the party, stakeholders and supporters from the South South for their continued support and dedication to the party”
“We hereby unanimously adopt Mr President, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as our sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election. This is the decision of the South South zone of the APC”
“We unanimously adopt our four governors from the South South as sole candidates in their respective states in 2027 and appeal to electorate to vote massively for them in recognition of their outstanding performances and commitment to good governance.”
In attendance were delegates from Akwa Ibom , Rivers , Bayelsa , Cross River and Delta states.
Others are Akpabio, Okpebholo; the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno; former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva; Senator Adams Aliyu Oshiomole; the Minister of Regional Development, Hon Abubakar Momoh; the Acting National Chairman of APC, Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori ; the state chairmen of six APC States, among others.
Earlier in his address, Akpabio, said that under the President Bola Tinubu-led Renewed Hope administration, the South South geo-political zone was no longer an afterthought in national development.
He also rallied the zone to support the President Tinubu Renewed Agenda and ensure that he was returned to office in 2027, saying; “let us bury division and rally behind the APC, the only party with the structure, vision, and leadership to transform Nigeria.
“Let us support President Tinubu—not just in words, but in mobilising our people, enlightening our communities, and defending our future. As 2027 beckons, we should understand the times and know and do what all Nigerians should do: support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to complete his transformation of our country.”
Otu declares region’s Tinubu’s continuity
Cross River State Governor , Senator Bassey Edet Otu, at the event, declared the South-South geopolitical zone to be on a firm trajectory of national greatness under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
He also described his administration’s transformative strides as “magical” and worthy of continued support.
Otu traced the region’s political evolution and affirmed the collective resolve of the APC family to deepen its developmental philosophy across Nigeria.
“We have come with an Alabaster of endorsements,” he said, “and we are pouring generously and unreservedly on our dear Captain of the Progressives… the Jagaban of Africa.”
Reflecting on Cross River’s early decision to align with the APC in the South-South region, Otu noted that the state had once felt politically “orphaned” but never doubted the promise of a better future.
“We assuaged the loneliness with the conviction that we took an informed decision because hope was indeed on the horizon,” he stated.
