A senior member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. George Agbakahi, has said the ruling party’s internal restructuring and growing influence in southern Nigeria could significantly reshape its electoral strategy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during a recent interview on Arise Television, Dr. Agbakahi emphasized that the APC is witnessing a surge in support across the South, driven by the defection of key political figures from opposition parties into its ranks.
He noted that this development is altering the party’s traditional reliance on northern votes for electoral success.
“The president may not even need to get a huge chunk of votes in the North to win this election.
“If you check the result of the last election, Peter Obi got almost all the votes in the South-East and also did well in the South-South,” He said.
According to Dr. Agbakahi, the inclusion of influential southern governors into the APC has strengthened the party’s foothold in regions previously considered opposition strongholds.
He specifically mentioned the governors of Akwa Ibom and Delta states, adding that more defections are still being expected.
He also pointed to the shifting political dynamics in Rivers State as a sign of growing support for the APC in the South-South region.
Agbakahi argued that these developments position the APC more favorably for 2027, reducing the burden of relying on overwhelming northern support, which has traditionally been crucial for victory.
“The movement of top political actors from the opposition into our party is changing the game.
“We are restructuring from within, and with the realignment across key southern states, the APC is becoming a truly national party with stronger appeal across all regions.”
Dr. Agbakahi however, expressed optimism that the evolving political landscape would give the APC a decisive advantage in the next electoral cycle.