Former Imo State Governor and Imo West senatorial candidate, Rochas Okorocha has predicted that President Bola Tinubu will secure between 25 and 30 per cent of the votes in the South-East in the 2027 presidential election. 

He made the statement after being decorated as the National Grand Patron of Grassroots Advocacy for Tinubu 2027 in Abuja.

Okorocha noted that the South-East gave Tinubu only about five per cent of its votes in the 2023 presidential election. He expressed confidence that the figure would rise significantly in 2027 with the involvement of himself and other political leaders from the region.

He described support for the President as a strategic alliance aimed at positioning the South-East for stronger political consideration in the future, including the prospect of an Igbo presidential candidate.

According to Okorocha, backing Tinubu does not amount to a rejection of any South-East contender in the race. He said the decision reflects a long-term calculation rather than a focus on the immediate contest. He also called on northerners to reciprocate Tinubu’s earlier support for the late President Muhammadu Buhari. He recalled that Tinubu subordinated his own presidential ambition in 2015 to back Buhari, deployed his political structure, and remained loyal even during Buhari’s period of illness.

Okorocha further claimed that he suggested the name of the All Progressives Congress during a meeting of governors in Lagos. He said the acronym carried two meanings for him at the time: a cure for Nigeria’s “headache” and a means of fighting insurgency. He described himself as a founding member of the party and urged supporters to promote the APC logo and its broken-shackle symbol.

The National Coordinator of the grassroots group, Prof. Ochugudu Ipuele, said Okorocha was chosen for the role because of his political influence and reach. He claimed the platform has more than seven million members across the country with structures down to the polling-unit level. Okorocha assured members that those who work for the President’s re-election would be rewarded with appointments.