Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, South-South, Chief Victor Giadom, has said former President Goodluck Jonathan is free to join the presidential race but stated he will not have the support of the South South geopolitical zone.
The Peoples Democratic Party had zoned the 2027 presidency to South South geopolitical zone and Jonathan is one of those personalities being touted to be dragged into the race.
But speaking with South South Punch in his hometown, Bere in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State on the conduct of the just concluded Local Government elections, Giadom said South South political leaders had taken a stand for president Bola Tinubu for 2027 and there was no going back.
He said, ââIt is optional and up to anybody to decide what he wants to do and what he doesnât want to. Former President Jonathan is free to join the Presidential race but for us as the political leaders of this place we have taken our position and our decision is to support President Tinubu in 2027.â
He said the decision of the South South zone to back President Bola Tinubu is based on what his administration has done for the region especially the East West road and the Bodo-Bonny road project which is almost 90 percent completed.
âWe South-South have concrete reasons for doing that. Look at the East West road, especially the Eleme section we have been crying for decades, now quality construction work has gone far. The Bodo-Bonny Road is almost 90 percent completed. You can drive from Mogo Junction (in Ogoni) to Bonny in less than 22 minutes when the final work is completed. Look at what HYPREP is doing in Ogoniland.
âSo there is a huge difference the President is making in the zone and we must applaud and support him. So I donât want to discuss issues with anybody whether the former president of Nigeria will run or not.
âI know this is a very fertile ground for the All Progressives Congress, very fertile for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and we know that delivering President Tinubu in the South-South has already been accomplished.â
He also dismissed speculations that the African Democratic Congress will pose a threat to Tinubuâs re-election in 2027, saying the party does not exist in the geo-political zone.
According to him there is nothing whatsoever to show that the emergence of the ADC coalition poses any threat to the ruling APC either in the South-South or the country at large.
He explained that a situation where almost all the Governors in the South-South are members of the APC is a testament that the ruling party now has a firm root in the zone, expressing the optimism that Bayelsa State may soon be taken.
The former Commissioner for Works and former Chairman of Gokana Local Government Area of the state said with the impact President Bola Tinubu is making in the Niger Delta region and the South-South in general, the election in 2027 will be a walk over for the APC in the area.
He said âThe people of Gokana local government have spoken and you can see the massive turn-out of voters. You canât find ADC in Gokana or the South-South. I donât know where they exist because they donât exist in the South-South.
âHow do you think they will exist here when you have almost all the Governors of the South-South tilting towards the All Progressive Congress?
âI mean thereâs no reason for anybody to speculate if they can ever be a threat. This a totally 100 of progressive zone, especially when they have been the total drift by even the PDP government to the APC. You can see that what is left is Bayelsa and Bayelsa will also joinâ.
On the performance of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, Giadom said he gave the commission a thumbs-up, saying, âYou can see how the election went. Nobody complained of smashing of boxes and all that, this is a United Front which you have in Rivers State is United Front for Bola Ahmed Tinubu. â
The Chairman of Gokana LGA, Hon. Confidence Deko, who won the elections under the platform of the APC expressed happiness with the turnout in Barako, his community during the election and lauded RSIEC for doing a great job.
Last Saturday, Deko who voted at Ward 11 Unit 17 in the Barako community said, âIt was a peaceful election we had around here. What you see here is massive and the people embrace the election. â,
He described his victory as a reflection of his performance when he served as LG Chairman in his previous tenure, saying, âThe people are happy with us and we donât expect less than the support they have demonstrated today. They are also saying a big Thank you to President Bola Tinubu for his Love for the Ogoni People.â
