The South-South zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially endorsed President Bola Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

This decision was announced on Saturday during the APC Zonal Stakeholders’ Meeting held in Benin City, the Edo State capital, in a move that signals strong regional backing for the president’s re-election bid.

In a broader effort to consolidate the party’s hold in the region, stakeholders at the meeting also agreed to adopt the four serving governors in the South-South as the APC’s sole candidates for the 2027 governorship elections in their respective states.

Among them is Governor Bassey Edet Otu of Cross River State, who also serves as the APC South-South Zonal Coordinator. Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State was similarly endorsed, though his next election falls in 2028 due to the state’s off-cycle poll schedule following his anticipated victory in the September 21, 2024, governorship election. Governors Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and Umo Bassey Eno of Akwa Ibom State, both of whom recently defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, were also backed to retain their seats under the party’s platform.

The resolutions reached during the meeting were outlined in a communiqué read by Chief Victor Giadom, the APC National Vice Chairman (South-South). The motion for adoption of the endorsements was moved by the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, and seconded by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio presided over the high-level gathering, which attracted APC leaders, elected lawmakers, state party executives, and key stakeholders from across the South-South geopolitical zone.