The All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in the South-East has declared its support for the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), calling for the mobilisation of all party structures and members behind APC candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party’s position was contained in a joint statement signed by the APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu, and the chairmen of the party in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.
The leaders said the PGF’s position was critical to ensuring a comprehensive victory for the APC in the 2027 elections, stressing the need for unity and collective support for the party’s candidates at all levels.
The statement followed recent criticisms by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, against members of the PGF, which the South-East APC leadership described as “most unfortunate, reprehensible and completely unacceptable.”
The party leaders argued that the governors targeted by Wike had demonstrated their capacity for governance through development initiatives in their respective states and had secured more than 25 per cent of the presidential vote in their states during the 2023 general elections.
They said, “The Progressive Governors are not abstract politicians; they are performing leaders whose records speak for themselves.”
The South-East APC leadership further expressed concern over what it described as Wike’s alleged attempts to influence the political fortunes of sitting APC governors ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to the statement, no minister has the authority to undermine or seek the removal of elected governors, irrespective of political differences.
“It is more troubling that Wike’s growing tendency to insult, diminish and plot to remove sitting Progressive Governors in 2027 is increasing each day,” the leaders said.
They called on the FCT minister to withdraw his attacks and embrace what they described as “party discipline, mutual respect and collective responsibility.”
The South-East APC leaders also rejected what they termed the “rainbow (chameleon) coalition” allegedly taking shape in the region, vowing to resist any attempt to weaken or undermine the party’s structures ahead of the 2027 elections.
Declaring their loyalty to the party’s progressive governors and candidates, the leaders said the APC remained bigger than any individual and urged members to work together for electoral success.
“We in the South East stand solidly with all Progressive Governors and candidates of our party at all levels in the forthcoming 2027 elections,” they said.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to mobilising support for APC candidates from President Bola Tinubu down to the state Houses of Assembly, stressing that unity and adherence to the party’s structures would be essential to its performance in the 2027 general elections.