The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has resolved to pursue its presidential campaign in the South-East ahead of the 2027 general election, despite concerns that Peter Obi’s political influence could make the region difficult for other candidates to penetrate.
The party’s presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, disclosed this on Thursday during a town hall meeting in Enugu, where he spoke against political divisions based on ethnicity.
Makinde said members of his team had expressed concerns about campaigning in the region because of the widespread perception that the South-East was firmly aligned with Obi, who is the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
He maintained that such perceptions would not prevent the APM from reaching out to voters and presenting its political agenda.
According to Makinde, Nigerians should resist attempts to make ethnic identity the basis for political choices.
He said the APM would continue its campaign in the region rather than allow assumptions about a candidate’s popularity to dictate where the party could seek support.
Also Read: AEDC announces six-hour blackout in Abuja, Niger State
Obi attracted considerable support across the South-East during the 2023 presidential election and remains an influential political figure in the region.
With the 2027 elections approaching, parties are stepping up efforts to expand their reach beyond their traditional support bases as they seek to attract voters across the country.