2027: How we plan to break Peter Obi’s influence – APC

The Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ben Nwoye, has outlined the ruling party’s strategy to curb the growing influence of Peter Obi in southern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Nwoye said the APC is fully aware of Obi’s strong showing in the 2023 presidential election, particularly across the South, and is already positioning to counter his impact.

Obi, who contested under the Labour Party in 2023, secured victories in nine of the 17 southern states and is now with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where he is seeking the party’s presidential ticket for 2027.

Speaking on the development, Nwoye described the South-East as the “ground zero” of the Obidient movement, noting that Obi recorded significant electoral gains across multiple states.

“If you come to the South-East and you see what happened in the last election, it was the ground zero for the Obidient movement. They practically took everywhere, including my state,” he said.

He added that Obi’s influence extended beyond the South-East, citing victories in states such as Delta, Edo and Lagos.

According to him, the APC will not underestimate the former Anambra governor’s political strength.

“When you have such a figure moving around, you should be prepared. He has one leg in the Obidient movement and another in the ADC, and he has said he will run. Every vote is going to count,” Nwoye stated.

The APC chieftain stressed that the party is ready to deploy all legitimate political strategies to secure victory in the region.

“We are going to fight through the system. We are going to make sure we get as much as possible to win,” he said.

Nwoye also identified the South as the major battleground for the 2027 election, noting that several prominent figures from the region are expected to join the presidential race.

“Last time it was down South, and this time it is still going to be down South. You have Obi, you have (Rotimi) Amaechi and others who are warming up,” he added.

The APC deputy chairman emerged as part of the party’s new National Working Committee following its recent convention.