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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the South-East geo-political zone have come under serious attack for endorsing President Bola Tinubu for re-election in 2027.
The APC leaders from three states of the South-East had met in Enugu State on Saturday, where they endorsed President Tinubu and subtly berated the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi.
Responding to the endorsement, the former Rivers State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Apostle Eugene Ogu, described the endorsement as “shameful and disgraceful.”
Ogu said it was sad that while the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is in prison in the North, “these people are here endorsing the same man that sent their son to the prison for committing no known crime against the state.”
The cleric said: “These same elders went to President Tinubu and pleaded with him to release Kanu from prison, the President rejected their plea. It, therefore, implies that they have been hoodwinking the people of the South-East on their promise that Kanu will be released. This is a grand deception.”
The former PFN/CAN boss stated that until the South-East is given a sense of belonging in the scheme of things in this administration, “President Tinubu will not have any face in the region in the next election. In the entire South-East, there are no good roads, no light and no Federal Government presence.
“In 2027, everybody will know where the South-East stands. Any attempt to deride any right-standing Igbo son or daughter, including the former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will attract certain consequences. I do not think the South-East people are part of that endorsement.
“APC is suddenly losing popularity in the South-East and Nigeria generally. APC will soon be deserted by Nigerians. Those defecting to the party are doing so just to protect their political future. I can assure you today that before the next election, APC will almost become empty,” he said.
According to him, “there is no iota of political move from the APC that shows that Igbos have a future in this government; if not, why not show that by releasing Nnamdi Kanu from prison?”
The General Overseer of the Abundant Life Evangel Mission (ALEM) dared the Federal Government to carry out electoral reforms and give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) a free hand to conduct the 2027 general elections, then see if the APC will win.
“I dare them to carry out the reforms. Nigerians will want to see the electoral reforms so that INEC can be truly allowed to be independent in deed. When this is done, let us see how APC will fare with Nigerians, given the present economic hardship and insecurity in the country,” he added.
