The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has passed a vote of confidence on President Bola Tinubu, formally adopting him as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The decision was reached on Sunday during the party’s Pre-Congress and National Convention Stakeholders’ Meeting held in Bende, Bende Local Government Area of the state.

Stakeholders at the meeting also unanimously affirmed the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, as the leader of the APC in Abia State, citing his efforts in rebuilding and strengthening the party’s structure across the 17 local government areas.

Speaking while chairing the meeting, Kalu said the ultimate objective of the gathering was to consolidate party structures at the ward, local government and state levels to ensure victory for President Tinubu in 2027.

“Everything we have come to do today boils down to one thing: delivering His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR,” he said, before moving a motion for the adoption of the President as the party’s sole candidate.

The motion was unanimously endorsed by stakeholders. Kalu highlighted the outcome of the recently concluded electronic membership registration exercise, revealing that the Abia APC recorded over 160,000 registered members despite not having a sitting governor in the state.

He described the figure as a demonstration of the party’s growing grassroots appeal noting that concerns had been expressed in some quarters about the party’s strength in Abia but said the successful registration exercise proved doubters wrong.

According to him, logistical challenges such as limited NIN capture machines and network issues affected the pace of registration, insisting that the party’s support base in the state is significantly larger.

The Deputy Speaker also used the platform to call for unity, declaring that factional politics would no longer be tolerated within the Abia APC.

“We do not have factions in this party. Anybody maintaining faction is not a member of APC. We must move forward together if we are to win massively in this state,” he stated.

On the forthcoming ward congresses, Kalu disclosed that he had secured the nomination forms for the state chapter, explaining that the forms would be distributed fairly and not controlled by any individual.

Several party leaders who spoke at the meeting commended Kalu’s leadership and organisational efforts, affirming him as the APC leader in Abia State through a motion moved and seconded by senior stakeholders.

The meeting ended with renewed commitments to party unity, grassroots mobilisation and preparations for the 2027 general election.