Imo Residents Rally for Tinubu, Uzodimma, APC Candidates Ahead of 2027 Elections

Residents of Imo State on Saturday participated in a large rally organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Hope Uzodimma and other candidates of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The rally, which the organisers described as a one-million-man march, attracted youths, women and other party supporters who marched through parts of Owerri, the state capital, to demonstrate their support for the APC and its candidates.

The procession began at Dan Anyiam Stadium along Wetheral Road at about 8 a.m., moved through Bank Road and terminated at the Government House Roundabout along Okigwe Road.

Participants carried out the march as part of the party's mobilisation efforts ahead of the next general elections, with speakers urging residents to support the APC at the presidential, governorship and legislative levels.

The event also provided an opportunity for party leaders to highlight what they described as the achievements of the Tinubu and Uzodimma administrations, particularly in infrastructure, healthcare, education, youth empowerment, workers' welfare and security.

Representing Governor Uzodimma at the rally, the Deputy Governor, Lady Chinyere Ekomaru, commended President Tinubu for supporting the development of Imo State.

She described Uzodimma as a visionary leader committed to improving the welfare of residents through youth empowerment, better healthcare delivery and policies aimed at protecting workers' interests.

According to her, the development recorded in the state has been supported by cooperation between the state and federal governments.

Ekomaru said Imo had benefited from several federal initiatives, including socio-economic empowerment programmes targeting vulnerable youths and women.

She expressed confidence that residents would reciprocate the support by voting for Tinubu's re-election in 2027, while also urging them to support all APC candidates in the forthcoming elections.

The deputy governor said continued support for the party would help sustain the administration's development programmes and strengthen cooperation between the state and federal governments.

APC Chairman Defends Tinubu's Economic Reforms

The Imo State APC Chairman, Chief Austin Onyedelu, also called on residents to support Tinubu, Uzodimma and other candidates of the party, insisting that the APC remained firmly established across the state.

Onyedelu highlighted the administrations' records in healthcare, education, employment opportunities for young people and security, urging party members to take the government's policies and programmes to their respective communities.

He also defended the Tinubu administration's economic reforms, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy, describing the policy as a necessary step towards addressing Nigeria's economic challenges.

According to the party chairman, the country is gradually moving towards economic recovery despite the difficulties associated with the reforms.

“Gradually, we are coming out of the woods,” Onyedelu said, expressing optimism that the reforms would eventually contribute to economic recovery, job creation and increased exports.

He urged party faithful to intensify grassroots mobilisation and ensure that residents were informed about the administration's policies before the 2027 elections.

Onyedelu also reminded supporters to identify APC candidates through the party's broom symbol on the ballot paper when voting during the elections.

Organisers Seek To Consolidate APC's Presence

The convener of the march, Hon. Chinasa Nwaneri, said the rally was organised to demonstrate support for Tinubu, Uzodimma and other APC candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Nwaneri explained that the mobilisation was intended to consolidate the party's presence across Imo State and prepare its supporters for the forthcoming electoral contest.

He said the gathering reflected the commitment of party members to mobilising residents and strengthening the APC's structures ahead of the polls.

Also speaking, the APC National Ex-Officio member, Hon. Ikechukwu Ume, expressed confidence in the party's prospects, pointing to the turnout at the rally as evidence of its grassroots mobilisation efforts.

Ume commended Uzodimma, the state party chairman and the organisers for their roles in bringing supporters together.

He described the participation of youths and women as particularly significant to the party's mobilisation strategy, noting that their involvement would be important as political activities gathered momentum ahead of 2027.

The APC chieftain further assured residents that the party's national leadership would continue to represent the interests of Imo State at the federal level.

Zonal Representatives Highlight Government Projects

Other speakers at the rally included Hon. Kanayo Onyemechi, representing Owerri Zone; Hon. Emeka Ndukwe, representing Okigwe Zone; Rt. Hon. Amara Iwuanyanwu, representing Orlu Zone; and Nnamdi Anyaehie, Esq.

They highlighted what they described as the infrastructural and economic achievements of the Tinubu administration and called on residents to support the APC at all levels in the 2027 elections.

The speakers also urged party members to sustain their engagement with communities across the state, stressing the importance of continued mobilisation and participation in the electoral process.

Throughout the event, party leaders presented the rally as a demonstration of support for the APC's leadership at both state and federal levels, while encouraging supporters to take their campaign messages to their neighbourhoods and local communities.

The mobilisation comes as political parties and their supporters begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections, when Nigerians will elect a president, governors and members of the national and state legislatures.

Although the organisers described the march as a one-million-man rally, no independently verified attendance figure was provided in the report.

The extent to which the mobilisation will translate into votes in 2027 will ultimately depend on voters' assessments of the performance of the administrations, their economic circumstances, the issues raised during the campaigns and the choices available on election day.