2027 Elections: South-East Fully Behind Tinubu, Says Former Enugu Governor Sullivan Chime
Former Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, has defended the endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term by political leaders in the South-East, describing the move as strategic, realistic, and firmly rooted in the President’s performance in office.
Chime made the remarks in a statement released on Wednesday, following last weekend’s endorsement of Tinubu by All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, leaders, and stakeholders from the South-East ahead of the 2027 general election.
The former governor, who recently flagged off the APC electronic registration exercise in Udi, Enugu West Senatorial District, said the endorsement reflected a collective and deliberate decision by the region’s political leadership.
“I am part of the South-East, so you can take it for granted that I was part of that endorsement from the beginning. That is our collective decision, and we all stand by it. It is achievable,” Chime said.
Read Also: President Tinubu Inaugurates APC Conflict Resolution Committee Ahead of 2027 Elections.
Expressing confidence in the President’s re-election prospects, Chime said Tinubu and the APC would record a strong showing across the South-East in 2027, despite prevailing economic challenges.
According to him, the current economic realities confronting Nigeria are not unique to the country but reflect broader global and African trends.
“The President has done well. What we are seeing in Nigeria is not peculiar; it is global, and certainly African. Given the circumstances, he is doing well,” he stated.
On the expected influence of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, Chime said he would address the evolving political dynamics in greater detail in the coming months but insisted that Tinubu would perform strongly once campaign activities begin in earnest.
Chime also expressed satisfaction with the growing acceptance of the APC in Enugu State, citing mass defections and rising membership as validation of his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.
“Ten years ago, when I joined the APC, we saw tomorrow. We knew the PDP was declining. Today, it is clear that the APC is the way to go,” he said.
He added that the party was on course to exceed its two-million membership target in Enugu State.
Earlier, the Enugu State Coordinator of the APC e-registration programme, Flavour Eze, commended party leaders and members in Enugu West Senatorial District for effective mobilisation.
Eze expressed optimism that the state would surpass its registration benchmark, praising local government chairmen for collaborating with relevant agencies to resolve issues related to National Identification Numbers and voter cards to ensure that no willing member was excluded.
Chairmen of Udi, Aninri, Awgu, Ezeagu, and Oji River local government areas pledged intensified grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on behalf of the council chairmen, Udi Local Government Chairman, Hyginus Agu, said residents were satisfied with governance at both state and federal levels.
“The people are happy. Our governor has delivered across wards, and the people stand solidly with him and President Tinubu,” Agu stated.