Senate President Godswill Akpabio says that before the next general elections in 2027, the six South-south states will join Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Four of the states in the region are currently governed by the ruling party after two state governors, Delta and Akwa Ibom, recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Mr Akpabio spoke in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Saturday at the official reception of Governor Umo Eno into the party.

Mr Eno, who was elected in 2023 under the PDP platform, defected to the APC on 6 June.

“Having completed the rounds of my consultations as your servant that you elected to serve you, I have, therefore, decided to move progressively to the APC,” Mr Eno said two weeks ago, telling the people he had submitted his resignation letter to ward, state, and national chairpersons of the PDP.

Speaking on Saturday at the event held to formally receive Mr Eno into the APC, Mr Akpabio, a former governor of the oil-rich state, told the crowd that the event was not just a defection but a movement.

“This is not the way a defection should be; this is a movement, not a defection. This is not merely a reception of a governor but a reunification of Akwa Ibom with Nigeria.

“This moment is very historic, the south-south region of Nigeria has not only produced the wealth that has kept Nigeria going, but it has always identified with the party at the centre,” Mr Akpabio said.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Nigeria’s oil-rich south-south states were a stronghold of the PDP in 1999 when Nigeria returned to democracy after almost two decades of military rule. All six states in the region were won by the PDP. But the story has since changed.

Edo State was the first to be won by a different party, APC, and years later, Cross River joined when the then-governor, Ben Ayade, defected to the APC in 2021. The APC became Nigeria’s ruling party in 2015 after 16 years of PDP rule.

Two months ago, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta led his predecessor, commissioners, local government chairpersons, and others in the state to join the ruling party.

Governor Eno, two weeks ago, dumped the PDP for the APC, leaving only Rivers and Bayelsa states as PDP states in the region.

In his remarks at the event, Mr Akpabio thanked APC governors in the region, telling the people that very soon Rivers would tumble for APC, followed by Bayelsa.

“Today, I want to say that Governor Otu is no longer an orphan. Mr Otu, thank you for being here to welcome your brother, and you would welcome more brothers. Governor Oborevwori of Delta State, thank you for joining the progressive family and moving the South-south in a progressive direction.

“Governor Eno, after you, who knows, Rivers State would just tumble, after Rivers, Bayelsa would join, and of course, we won election after Governor Otu; in Edo State. Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State is here in our midst.

“We are saying henceforth, come 2027, the south-south would go one way and vote for President Bola Tinubu.

“Mr Eno, I want to thank you for not moving away from the heart of Akwa Ibom. I’ve been around for over four days interacting with our elders across party lines, and I realised that you’ve consulted your people,” he said.

Mr Akpabio said he sees Mr Eno becoming the first reelected governor in 2027 and that President Bola Tinubu would get 99.9 per cent of votes in 2027 in the state.

Speaking at the event, the national chairperson of APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, announced Mr Eno as the leader of the party in the state while acknowledging Mr Akpabio as a national leader of the party, being the number three citizen of the country.

He presented the party symbol, the broom, and the flag to the governor at the event held at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

The event was attended by several APC governors, including those from Lagos, Edo, Imo, Cross Rivers, Ebonyi, Gombe, Ekiti, Jigawa, Ondo, Kogi, and Delta states.

President Tinubu was represented at the ceremony by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

In his remarks, Mr Shettima assured Mr Eno that the APC is a family and thanked the governor for his decision to pitch his tent with the ruling party.

In his remarks, Mr Eno thanked the APC for the reception, telling the people that joining the party would bring more dividends of democracy to the state.

He called on APC members in the state to embrace peace and work together for the party.

“I therefore call on all factions within our party, the APC, that may have previously existed in the state to close ranks and embrace peace and genuine reconciliation as I come with the ministry of reconciliation into the APC to reconcile all fronts so that we can work together and arise to renew the hope of our people,” he said.