Hendrix Oliomogbe
The 2027 presidential election may still be far away but the leadership of the South-South zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) weekend in Benin at the party’s zonal stakeholders’ meeting endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate.
Also, the ruling party resolved to adopt the quartet of Governors Bassey Edet Otu of Cross River State, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Umo Bassey Eno of Akwa Ibom State and host Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, notwithstanding the fact that his election comes up in 2028.
Oborevwori and Eno recently defected to the APC from the main opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP).
In his welcome address, Senator Okpebholo predicted 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.
The Edo State governor said that it is on record that the South-South geo-political zone 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 of Bayelsa and Rivers in the zone, who are still not members of the ruling party to come on board the APC ship so that the oil rich zone 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.
Overwhelmed by the show of unity and camaraderie, 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.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who doubles as the APC leader in the zone and presided over the meeting, noted that the South-South geopolitical zone "is the heartbeat of the nation's economy."
Senator Akpabio said: "The 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."
The resolutions were formally presented in a statement read by Chief Victor Giadom, APC National Vice Chairman for the South-South following a motion for the adoption, which was moved by the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, and seconded by Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North).
The statement read in part: "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 cognizant of the massive developmental projects in the region including and not limited to the Lagos Calabar Coastal Road"
"We therefore unanimously passed 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."
Giadom continued: "We welcomed 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 on the 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."
He concluded: "We also commend the FCT Minister 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 electorates to vote massively for them in recognition of their outstanding performance and commitment to good governance."
Present at the ceremony were Senator Adams Aliyu Oshiomole; the Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh; former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva; state chairmen of six APC States, among others.
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