A chieftain of the Labour Party (LP) and former House of Representatives candidate, Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh, has warned that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could face a significant electoral backlash in the South East if the party continues to pursue what he describes as an elite-driven strategy of expansion.
Ezeh, an Oxford-trained political strategist and member of the Obidient National Advisory Council, said the APC’s recent gains in the region have largely been achieved through top-down manoeuvres, rather than through genuine grassroots engagement.
He argued that this approach has left the party vulnerable to voter rejection ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a political analysis circulated recently, Ezeh insisted that the APC’s influence in the South East has been shaped more by defections, judicial outcomes and behind-the-scenes negotiations than by organic political mobilisation.
“The South East has historically resisted political imposition. From the First Republic to the present day, political legitimacy in the region has always rested on popular consent, not backroom arrangements,” he said.
He cited recent political realignments in Imo, Ebonyi and Enugu states as evidence of what he described as a top-down strategy that ignores voter sentiment.
While the APC celebrated these developments as strategic gains, Ezeh argued that they instead revealed the fragility of the party’s support base in the region.
Ezeh also highlighted the backlash that followed reports of the APC’s interest in wooing Abia State Governor Alex Otti, the country’s only Labour Party governor. He described the move as a major political miscalculation.
“Otti represents a clear break from the old order and embodies reformist ideals that resonate strongly with South East voters. Any attempt to undermine that mandate is widely perceived as an affront to the region’s aspirations,” he said.
The LP chieftain further criticised the APC’s recent electronic re-registration exercise in parts of the South East, claiming that turnout at registration centres remained low despite official claims of rising membership.
He also took issue with a recent gathering of APC leaders in Enugu, where declarations were made portraying the region as firmly aligned with President Bola Tinubu. According to Ezeh, the rhetoric failed to reflect prevailing public sentiment.
“At a time when the South East is demanding inclusion, equity and respect, such statements appeared dismissive. The event came across as reactive rather than strategic,” he said.
Ezeh noted that the political influence of former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, remains central to the region’s political calculations.
He argued that recent APC actions have inadvertently reinforced Obi’s status as a benchmark for political legitimacy in the South East.
“The region is undergoing a political awakening. Voters are more assertive and increasingly attentive to governance outcomes. Parties that fail to align with these expectations risk rejection at the polls,” he said.
He warned that the 2027 elections could mark a decisive turning point, not only for political parties but also for individual officeholders, as voters intensify scrutiny of leadership choices and political affiliations.
“The era of determining the South East’s political future over the heads of its people is fading. Public sentiment now carries real political consequence, and those who ignore it do so at their own peril,” he said.
