South-East Govs Rally Support for Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election, Warn Against Political Distractions
By Titus Eleweke
The governors of the five South-East states have urged the people of the region not to be distracted by political manoeuvres but to vote massively for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
The governors made the call on Saturday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Mega Rally and Empowerment Programme for the South-East, held at Okpara Square, Enugu.
The governors are Prof. Charles Soludo of Anambra, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi, Dr Peter Mbah of Enugu and Sen. Hope Uzodimma of Imo. The fifth state, Abia, was not represented by its governor at the event.
Speaking at the rally, Mbah urged the people of the South-East to support Tinubu’s re-election bid to enable him to consolidate the gains of his administration’s economic reforms.
He attributed ongoing development projects, including the construction of primary healthcare centres, to the Federal Government’s economic reforms.
The governor urged women to support Tinubu and APC candidates in the Jan. 16, 2027, elections and subsequent polls.
“A good sailor does not abandon his ship mid-sea because of challenges. We must finish the journey we all started together,” he said.
Mbah described South-Easterners as strategic people who had established businesses and relationships beyond the region, urging them to participate actively in the political process.
On the empowerment programme targeting 5,000 women across the South-East, Mbah said the initiative followed the empowerment of more than 2,000 women in Enugu within 48 hours.
He said the beneficiaries received cash support, assistance with hospital bills and tools to enable them to generate income.
According to him, the programme was designed to make women wealth creators rather than perpetual beneficiaries of financial assistance.
He urged the beneficiaries to make effective use of the empowerment tools and extend the benefits to their families and communities.
Also speaking, Uzodimma described the rally as historic and commended the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, for empowering women across the South-East.
He reiterated the region’s commitment to supporting Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Uzodimma said the Igbo had experienced marginalisation for more than 60 years but were beginning to witness a new era of political inclusion and development under Tinubu.
He commended the President for expanding infrastructural and economic development in the South-East.
“We are now seeing good roads, electricity, health reforms as well as educational reforms in the country. A winning team must not be changed,” he said.
The governor urged the electorate to sustain the current development trajectory, saying the Federal Government’s economic reforms had increased the resources available to states for development.
“We have more money to build Okigwe to Owerri, Umuahia to Owerri, Orlu to Owerri and Owerri to Port Harcourt roads,” he said.
Uzodimma added that the improved financial position of the state had enabled his administration to pay salaries and pensions consistently, including 13th-month salaries for workers.
In his remarks, Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru commended the skills acquisition and empowerment initiatives of the APC-led administration, urging South-East women to vote massively for the party.
He described the APC as the only political party with a clear and identifiable manifesto capable of sustaining the country’s development.
Nwifuru dismissed suggestions that he was involved in any political coalition, stressing that his loyalty remained with the APC.
He urged supporters to vote for APC candidates at all levels in the January 2027 elections and subsequent polls.
Similarly, Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, represented by his deputy, Dr Gilbert Ibezim, said the South-East had a responsibility to support Tinubu’s re-election in appreciation of his administration’s achievements.
He said the region stood to benefit more from continued collaboration with the Federal Government.
Also speaking, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu urged the Igbo to embrace political inclusion by supporting Tinubu’s re-election.
Kalu said the Igbo had not produced a Nigerian president in the past 60 years, stressing the need for the region to strengthen its political alliances.
He recalled that Tinubu, while serving as governor of Lagos State, maintained cordial relationships with the Igbo and included them in his cabinet.
Kalu commended the Tinubu administration for establishing the South-East Development Commission (SEDC), describing it as a major step towards addressing the region’s developmental challenges.
