2027: Abia APC adopts Tinubu as sole presidential candidate

By Kehinde Akintola

Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday, passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, adopting him as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The decision was reached during the party’s Pre-Congress and National Convention Stakeholders Meeting held in Bende, Bende Local Government Area of the state.

The party also unanimously affirmed the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, as the APC leader in Abia State, citing his efforts in repositioning and strengthening the party’s structure across the 17 local government areas.

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Speaking at the meeting, which attracted serving and former National Assembly members, captains of industry, and other political stakeholders, Kalu said the ultimate objective of the gathering was to ensure Tinubu’s victory in 2027.

“Everything we have come to do today boils down to one thing: delivering His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR,” Kalu declared. “All we came to do is to make sure that the structures we set up within the party — at the ward, local government and state levels — will deliver the President in 2027.”

He subsequently moved a motion for the adoption of Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate of the APC in Abia State, which was unanimously endorsed by voice vote and seconded by the Welfare Secretary of the party’s National Working Committee.

Reflecting on the recently concluded electronic membership registration exercise, Kalu dismissed speculations that the party lacked numerical strength in the state. He disclosed that the Abia APC recorded over 160,000 registered members despite not having a sitting governor.

“When we crossed 50,000, I said we would get to 100,000, and we did. When we crossed 100,000, I said we would get to 150,000, and we surpassed it to over 160,000,” he said.

He attributed constraints in registration to limited NIN enrollment machines and network challenges, insisting that the party’s strength in the state exceeds one million supporters.

The Deputy Speaker assured stakeholders that the party would secure more than the constitutionally required 25 per cent of votes for the President in the state during the 2027 election.

Kalu also preached unity within the party, declaring an end to factional politics in the state chapter.

“We don’t have factions in this party. Anybody maintaining faction is not a member of APC. It is part of our resolution today — zero faction,” he stated, urging members to work collectively for electoral success.

On the forthcoming Ward Congresses, he announced that he personally secured and paid for the nomination forms due to the absence of a governor in the state, stressing that the forms would be distributed fairly.

“This form is not my personal property. It is for the party. We have passed the level where one person decides everything,” he said.

In separate remarks, party leaders at the meeting praised Kalu’s leadership and contributions to the growth of the APC in the state. A motion affirming him as leader of the party in Abia was moved by former Senator Nkechi Nwogu and seconded by Hon. Chris Nkwonta, member representing Ukwa East and Ukwa West Federal Constituency.

The motion was unanimously adopted by stakeholders present at the meeting.