ADC Criticizes South-East APC's Support for Tinubu

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Reaction to Endorsement
• Governors' Interests
• Marginalization of the South-East
• Historical Context
• Critique of Current Governors
• National Issues

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized the endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election by the South-East All Progressive Congress (APC), arguing that this decision overlooks the realities faced by the Igbo people under the Tinubu administration.

Comrade Adolphus Ude, the National Coordinator of ADC Like-Minds, made these remarks in response to the endorsement of President Tinubu for a second term by South-East APC stakeholders, who promised to mobilize substantial votes for his re-election in the upcoming 2027 general elections.

This decision emerged from a high-level South-East APC meeting held in Enugu, which was attended by the three APC governors from the region, lawmakers, and other party leaders.

In a press release on Sunday, Ude, who was the founding Deputy Chairman of APC in Enugu State, accused the South-East APC governors of orchestrating the endorsement for their own personal gain rather than for the benefit of the Igbo people.

He emphasized that the governors were merely attempting to strengthen their individual relations with the President and asserted that there has been no significant action taken by Tinubu in the South-East region that would justify any endorsement for his re-election.

Ude expressed concern that the Tinubu administration has significantly marginalized the South-East region, both in terms of federal infrastructure allocation, intervention funds, and political appointments.

“One of the governors mentioned wanting to align with the centre. Which centre is he referring to? The centre that has consistently marginalized the Igbo people since Tinubu assumed the presidency on May 29, 2023? If the Igbo have not benefited from their supposed alliance with Tinubu in the past 31 months, what makes them think the remaining 16 months of his administration will bring about change?”

“These governors should cease offending the sensibilities of Ndigbo recklessly. Enough with their endorsements. The hard-earned properties of the Igbo are being destroyed in Lagos since the 2023 general election, due to the way our people voted during that election.

“Instead of investigating the situation, the South-East governors and their associates in the Tinubu endorsement are relaxing in air-conditioned hotels in Enugu, issuing endorsements for the President while their brothers and sisters wander the streets of Lagos without homes,” Ude stated.

Ude further insisted that what transpired in Enugu last weekend was merely a few governors engineering an endorsement for the President’s re-election, highlighting that the marginalized masses of the South-East did not endorse anyone.

He challenged the proponents of the endorsement to identify the concrete benefits that the Igbo people have received from the Tinubu government since it took office in 2023.

Ude accused the South-East governors of seeking an alliance with the centre solely to enrich themselves through investments in luxurious projects, while heavily taxing the populace.

“Instead of utilizing the only power plant built by Professor Barth Nnaji in Aba to energize the region, the governors are focused on constructing luxury hotels and establishing state airlines that do not serve the poor masses. They are burdening the impoverished population with high taxes and electricity tariffs.

“They talk about forming an alliance with the centre for the development of the South-East, forgetting the lessons of history. In the 1960s, the Eastern region experienced significant economic growth and development under the leadership of Dr. Michael Okpara as premier.

“During that period, the South-East was among the fastest-growing economies globally, alongside the Asian Tigers, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea.

“Okpara invested heavily in agriculture, establishing plantations and farm settlements throughout the region. We remember that Malaysia imported palm produce from Eastern Nigeria, which contributed to its economic power.

“Okpara utilized the revenue generated from agriculture to transform the region into an industrial and manufacturing hub, establishing gas plants, cement factories, and other thriving business ventures. We reflect on these historical achievements to set the record straight.”

Continuing, Ude lamented that the current governors are not focused on advancing agriculture and agro-businesses but are only interested in constructing luxury projects that benefit them personally.

He criticized the governors for adopting the taxation policies of the Tinubu government instead of leveraging the vast economic potential of the South-East to foster regional development.

According to him, the South-East governors should be ashamed, as the allocations going to local governments in Lagos State alone surpass those received by the five states of the South-East region.

He recalled that media reports indicated that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved projects worth N3.9 trillion for Lagos State alone over two years and challenged the governors to inform Ndigbo about the financial value of projects allocated to the South-East during the same timeframe.

“Late last year, President Tinubu approved a $1 billion Port Modernisation Project for the comprehensive reconstruction of Nigeria’s major seaports, Apapa and Tin Can Island in Lagos.

“The extensive renovation work is set to commence in the first quarter of 2026 and is expected to be completed within 48 months. How much funding has the President allocated for dredging the River Niger so that ships can dock in Onitsha?”

“A $700 million contract for the renovation of Lagos Port was reportedly awarded to ITB Nigeria, which is owned by the Chagoury Group, the same group managing the exorbitantly priced N17 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal road project that bypasses the five states of the South-East: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.

“We are aware of the trillions allocated to Lagos as intervention funds under Tinubu. Which state in the South-East has benefitted from these intervention funds? How many agricultural initiatives have been directed towards the South-East from Abuja?” he queried.

Commenting on national events, Ude noted that for the first time, police officers in Nigeria are protesting against the non-payment of their benefits after serving the federal government for 35 years.

“Trump described Nigeria as a disgraced nation. The South-East governors should stop ridiculing the country. Are they not aware of the ruling of a Canadian court, which labeled Nigeria as