Former Delta State Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has announced his backing for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign in 2027. He stated that he decided to back the president because he believes the nation is heading in the right direction, according to The Trumpet Newspaper Nigeria.
Okowa addressed attendees on Saturday during an All Progressives Congress campaign gathering held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The former governor explained that his choice followed an evaluation of the administration’s policies and its work to reform the economy. He said, "I have seen the light. Today, we are on the right track because the president is laying a solid foundation."
During his speech, Okowa also warned against returning to the fuel subsidy regime. He argued that bringing back petrol subsidies could harm efforts to build an enduring economic structure for future generations, urging the public not to allow past practices to endanger the country's economic stability.
The move marks a significant political shift for Okowa, who was the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party alongside Atiku Abubakar during the 2023 presidential election.
Other key figures also addressed the gathering in Port Harcourt. Senator Abdulaziz Yari, who serves as the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, announced a goal of securing 2.3 million votes for Tinubu in Rivers State. Yari stated that around 2.8 million Permanent Voter Cards had been collected out of 3.3 million registered voters in the state, calling on members to work with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike to deliver at least 80 percent of the ballots.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio told the crowd he was confident about the party’s chances across the South-South region. He noted that Rivers was the only state in the zone that Tinubu won in 2023, while also stating that the Federal Government now collects more funds through taxation than crude oil. APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda praised the Tinubu-Shettima ticket as the best choice for Nigeria, while Senator Magnus Abe spoke in favour of the local Rainbow Coalition alliance.
