A pro-Tinubu Igbo group, NDI-ABAT, has cautioned Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma against letting his 2027 Senate Presidency ambition undermine APC’s chances in the Southeast. In a press release, NDI-ABAT acknowledged Uzodinma’s right to aspire for the Senate Presidency but urged him to prioritize APC’s unity and Tinubu’s victory in the Southeast over personal ambitions.
The group expressed disapproval of a parallel APC Southeast Zonal Congress held in Enugu, warning it could breed disunity and undermine the party’s chances in 2027.
*The NDIGBO FOR TINUBU 227 FORUM – (NDI – ABAT) a coalition of pro – Tinubu Igbo organizations, is compelled to issue a solemn and urgent appeal to His Excellency, Senator Hope Odidika Uzodinma, the Governor of Imo State. As the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum in Nigeria and the Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, Governor Uzodinma shoulders immense responsibilities. He must display pragmatism and a spirit of accommodation in his leadership approach. At this critical juncture, it is imperative that he set aside his personal political ambitions for the 2027 elections and focus on uniting the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southeast zone. The primary objective should be to ensure that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu secures victory in the Southeast in 2027, unlike the 2023 presidential elections where Mr. Peter Obi triumphed in the region.
NDI – ABAT is deeply perturbed and expresses its vehement disapproval of the reported actions of a group allegedly loyal to Governor Uzodinma. They attempted to hold a parallel APC Southeast Zonal Congress in Enugu yesterday. Such a move is not only ill – advised but also guaranteed to breed disunity and division among APC party faithful in the Southeast. This is a step that could undermine the party’s chances in the upcoming 2027 elections.
To be absolutely clear, NDI – ABAT acknowledges Governor Uzodinma’s eminence and his right to aspire to any elective position in 2027, be it a Senatorial seat or the Senate Presidency. However, we strongly caution him to proceed with extreme care in his alleged efforts to position his loyalists in APC Southeast zonal positions allocated to non – APC states in the region, particularly Anambra and Abia States . These states have their own established APC party leadership, and any attempt to undermine their authority will have far reaching negative consequences.
Let us be forthright. The victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential elections is non – negotiable. All personal ambitions of party members in the Southeast zone must take a backseat to the overarching goal of ensuring Tinubu’s victory in the region. It is an undeniable fact that apart from a serving Federal Minister who was a former governor, a Federal Lawmaker who is occupying the highest political office in the zone, and perhaps two APC Southeast governors, most APC leaders in the Southeast are deceiving President Tinubu and have not been making sufficient efforts on the ground to secure Tinubu’s victory in the Southeast zone.
We must not deceive ourselves. Peter Obi poses a significant threat to Tinubu’s chances in the Southeast in 2027. The Southeast will be the battleground for the 2027 presidential elections, and it is here that the outcome of the entire election could well be decided. However, NDI – ABAT is confident in its extensive grassroots structure, which spans 95 local government areas in the Southeast. We are fully committed and capable of delivering the Igbo votes to the APC and President Tinubu.
It is our hope that Governor Uzodinma, in his wisdom, will heed this warning. For the sake of the APC’s success and President Tinubu’s victory in the Southeast, he must prioritize unity and the common goal over personal political aspirations. The future of the party and the region depends on it.