Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who also serves as the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-East, has urged political leaders and stakeholders in the region to rally behind President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting over the weekend at Hotel Presidential, Enugu, Uzodimma described the task as a collective responsibility vital for strengthening the South-East’s influence in national politics.

“In practical political terms, this responsibility is not mine alone; it belongs to all of us. What affects one of us affects all of us,” he said, stressing that APC leaders in the region must work together to secure electoral success for the President.

Uzodimma highlighted the region’s voting patterns in the 2023 presidential election, noting that the South-East contributed only a marginal share of votes to the APC, making the zone politically predictable and easy to overlook.

“When you become predictable in the game of power, it is easy to ignore you,” he warned.

However, he expressed optimism over the growing presence of the APC in the South-East, pointing to gains in political representation since 2023. He noted that the party’s lawmakers in the House of Representatives increased from eight to 23, while governors, senators, state legislators, and local government officials aligned with the APC have also grown.

“This growth shows that confidence in the APC is rising among leaders and grassroots supporters in our region,” Uzodimma said.

The Governor urged stakeholders to turn elite-level support into tangible votes at the grassroots, emphasizing that the South-East must deliver results in line with its political weight.

Uzodimma also defended Tinubu’s economic and security reforms, highlighting improvements in currency stability, security, education, and infrastructure.

“Politics is about give and take. Supporting the President to complete his tenure is laying a foundation for our region’s future leadership aspirations,” he said.

The meeting concluded with a call for a formal resolution endorsing Tinubu’s re-election. Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, a former Senate President, was invited to move the motion, with Chief Ken Nnamani, another ex-Senate President, seconding it.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, encouraged leaders to prioritise strategic alliances over sentimental politics, warning that isolation would weaken the South-East’s bargaining power at the centre. He also called for intensified party membership drives and voter registration ahead of 2027.

Earlier, the APC South-East Vice Chairman, Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu, praised Tinubu’s economic reforms, citing growth in the stock market, declining petroleum product prices, and Nigeria’s emergence as a leading exporter of aviation fuel as evidence of a strengthening economy.

The communique read at the end of the meeting reaffirmed the stakeholders’ commitment to mobilising votes for Tinubu across the South-East.