NIGERIA: APC Vows To Capture Rivers State By 2027

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared its ambition to takeover Rivers State in the 2027 general elections, with the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, stating that the APC is strategically positioning itself to expand its dominance in the South-South geopolitical zone.

Ganduje made this assertion in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during the inauguration of the state’s newly elected APC executive committee, led by Chief Tony Okocha.

Departing from the tradition of inaugurating state executives at the APC National Headquarters in Abuja, Ganduje said the ceremony in Rivers State was part of the party’s effort to strengthen grassroot support and eliminate perceived barriers between the national and state leadership.

“Traditionally, we inaugurate state executives in Abuja,” Ganduje said, “but today, we are here in Rivers State to show that this state is a priority for us. The South-South may largely be a PDP zone, but we have made significant inroads by capturing Cross River and Edo states. Now, Rivers State is next. This is a task that must be accomplished.”

Ganduje charged the new state executive members to ensure peace and unity within the party’s ranks while working towards winning over new members and resolving internal conflicts. He urged the team to leverage their political strategies to strengthen the party’s presence in all constituencies across the state.

The APC leader emphasised the importance of internal democracy, describing it as the bedrock of the party’s operations.

He also reminded the 36-member Okocha-led executive of the need to embrace the party’s supreme authority and prioritise conflict resolution mechanisms.

“You are from a zone that was once a stronghold of the PDP,” Ganduje noted. “But under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari, we captured Cross River State. Now, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we have also taken Edo State. Rivers State is next in line. Together, we will bring this state into the APC fold.”

In his remarks, the newly inaugurated Rivers State APC Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, declared that the party is united and ready to reclaim the Rivers Government House in 2027.

“We are one united party in Rivers State,” Okocha said. “Our mission is clear: the APC flag will be raised in the Rivers State Government House in 2027. Our focus is not to applaud the current government but to highlight its shortcomings and show Rivers people why the APC is the better choice.”

Okocha called on members involved in ongoing litigation to abandon court cases and return to the party, emphasizing that the unity of the APC in Rivers State is essential for achieving victory.

“We are stronger together,” he said. “Let us put aside our differences and work as a team. The more, the merrier. With the full support of the national leadership and our united efforts, Rivers State will be ours.”

The APC’s focus on Rivers State underscores the party’s broader strategy to consolidate power in regions previously dominated by the PDP.