South South APC Adopts Tinubu, Three Governors as Sole Candidates for 2027
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South South geopolitical zone has officially adopted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The decision was reached at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held on Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
In addition to President Tinubu, three incumbent APC governors from the region were also endorsed as sole candidates for their re-election bids.
They include Governor Umo Bassey Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Governor Bassey Edet Otu of Cross River State, and Senator Monday Okpebholo, the APC’s flagbearer in the upcoming Edo State governorship election.
The stakeholders declared that the party remains united in its support for President Tinubu, citing his bold economic reforms, infrastructural initiatives, and commitment to the overall development of the South South region.
According to the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, President Tinubu’s leadership has brought significant progress to the country, including key projects such as the South South Development Commission and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, both of which were highlighted as transformative for the region’s economy.
The meeting witnessed the presence of top APC leaders, including the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; the National Vice Chairman (South South) of the APC, Victor Giadom; and the Acting National Chairman of the APC, Ali Bukar Dalori.
Also present were senators, members of the House of Representatives, and other prominent party stakeholders from the six South South states.
Victor Giadom, who read the communiqué, emphasized the zone’s total support for the Tinubu administration and expressed confidence in his ability to deliver greater achievements if re-elected.
He stated that the South South region had benefited significantly from the administration’s developmental agenda, and therefore the stakeholders found it necessary to give him another term to consolidate on the gains.
Furthermore, the meeting called on the governors of Bayelsa and Rivers states, Douye Diri and Siminalayi Fubara respectively, who are both members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to consider joining the APC.
The stakeholders said that a unified South South under the ruling party would enhance the region’s ability to negotiate and secure greater development and federal attention.
Senator Monday Okpebholo received strong backing from the zonal leaders ahead of the Edo State gubernatorial election.
His candidacy was endorsed as the consensus choice of the APC in the state, with leaders urging party members and supporters to rally around him to ensure victory in the election.
The endorsement of Tinubu and the incumbent governors marks a significant political strategy by the APC to solidify its hold on the region ahead of the 2027 elections. It comes at a time when opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), are trying to form a coalition to challenge the APC’s dominance at the national level.
This move by the South South APC mirrors similar endorsements that have taken place in other geopolitical zones, where key party leaders have already thrown their weight behind President Tinubu’s second term ambition. Political analysts say the early consensus candidacies are intended to minimize internal party friction and allow the APC to focus on broader electoral challenges.
With this development, the APC is further positioning itself for a strong showing in 2027, banking on incumbency, internal cohesion, and a unified support base across key regions, including the strategically important South South zone.
