From Tony Osauzo
The leadership and delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-South region, on Friday, unanimously adopted President Bola Tinubu as the region’s sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
Besides, they also adopted the governors of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, and Edo for a second term of office.
The resolutions were contained in a communique issued at the end of the party’s South-South Stakeholders meeting which was held in Benin City.
The motion for the adoption was moved by the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, and seconded by Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
National Vice Chairman of the APC for South-South, Chief Victor Giadom, who read the communique, said the decision was taken because of President Tinubu’s love and developmental projects in the region.
APC South-South Communique
“The 5th day of July 2025, the South-South commend the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for his reforms and policies to reposition Nigeria. We commend Mr. President for his uncommon love and support for the South-South region, which is clearly reflected in the support for the emergence of Senate President for the region in the person of, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and accenting to the law, the South-South Development Commission.
“We also take cognisance of the massive developmental projects in the region, including but not limited to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road.
“We therefore unanimously pass a vote of confidence on our uncommon President of the Senate, His Excellency Senator Godswill Akpabio, for his outstanding leadership, for uniting the South-South region, and for his support for the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.
“We welcome the governors, stakeholders, and supporters of the South-South States for their patriotic and courageous decisions of embracing the Renewed Hope Agenda and joining the All Progressive Congress, APC. We therefore humbly call on the remaining two non-APC governors of the region, namely Governor of Rivers State and Bayelsa State, and their supporters, to also join the Progressive family in the APC.
“Finally, we pass a vote of confidence on the four APC Governors of the South-South region, namely Senator Bassey Edet Otu of Cross River State; Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Pastor Eno Umoh of Akwa-Ibom State, and Senator Monday Okpebholo of Edo State.
“We commend the party, we commend all the elected APC senators, members of the House of Representatives, Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the South-South, Heads of MDAs, political appointees from the South-South region, for their loyalty to the party and for their support for the Renewed Hope Agenda. Further, we also recommend and commend the FCT Minister, His Excellency Nyesom Wike, leaders of the South-South region, for his continued support for the President and the Renewed Hope Agenda. We sincerely appreciate all members of the party, stakeholders, and supporters in the South-South region 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 election. That is the decision of the South-South Zone of the All-Progressive Congress.”
Earlier, Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, in his address, described the meeting as significant because it was the first time to bring the South-South together to discuss as a family.
The governor, who reeled out his achievements to include the revival of Edo Line with over 100 buses, award of contracts for the construction of over 200 km roads amongst others, noted that in the past two years, the South-South has enjoyed the federal government patronage, including the construction of the coastal road in the region.
He said the South-South is gradually coming back to the fold of the nation’s politics and urged the remaining two states in the region to join the fold.
In his speech, Acting National Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori, said the event was a privilege because it was his first assignment, adding that South-South is the heartbeat of the nation, even as he stressed the importance of the region to the country.
Also speaking, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, commended the developmental projects for the South-South and said the region is now speaking with one voice.
He likened the South-South to the chicken that lays the golden egg and said it has the right to determine how the egg is shared, even as he stressed that the region was solidly behind President Tinubu.
“South-South has fallen for good governance and APC. This region will not only speak; we will show with our votes in 2027,” he promised.
The theme of the South-South meeting was “Renewed Hope in Action: Strengthening APC Mobilisation and Governance in the South-South”.
