The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), South-East zone, alongside entire Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba communities in Ebonyi State, have endorsed President Bola Tinubu for re-election in the 2027 general elections, pledging to mobilise support for the All Progressives Congress and its candidates.
The groups made their positions known on Monday during a town hall meeting in Abakaliki, organised by the Directorate of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).
Addressing participants, the President of the Christian Fellowship of Nigeria (CFN), South-East zone, Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, expressed appreciation to Tinubu and the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, for what he described as the Federal Government's infrastructural interventions in the South-East.
Nwali urged Christians and other residents of the region to reciprocate the administration's gesture by supporting the President's re-election bid in 2027.
He said, "We are owing our leader, the President, and the Minister of Works, His Excellency, Senator David Umahi, appreciation, and the only way we can show that appreciation is to support the President in the 2027 general election."
Similarly, the former President of the Women Wing of the association, Mrs Uche Charity Ujunwa, appealed to Nigerians not to divide their votes, arguing that the Tinubu administration should be allowed to complete its eight-year tenure.
According to her, the reforms introduced by the Federal Government have begun to produce positive effects, making continuity necessary for the administration to consolidate its policies.
"This administration has started a work. Let us give them a chance to complete their eight years.
"Nigeria is too big to be governed and have things put in place under four years. It is not possible.
"Let us support President Bola Tinubu. Let us not divide our votes," she said.
Also speaking, the leader of the CAN South-East Youth Wing, Peter Onyeabor, assured the APC Presidential Campaign Council that Christian youths across the region would mobilise support for Tinubu in the forthcoming election.
In separate remarks, the leader of the Yoruba community in Ebonyi, Kazeem Bankole, and his Hausa counterpart, Alhaji Danjuma Gambo, pledged to mobilise their respective communities in support of Tinubu and all APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
Addressing the gathering, Umahi, who is the Director of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, urged the people of the South-East to rise above political and ethnic sentiments and support Tinubu's re-election.
The minister argued that supporting the President for a second term would provide the South-East with an opportunity to secure reciprocal political support when the region eventually produces a presidential candidate.
He maintained that the political interest of the Igbo should be anchored on an eight-year presidential tenure rather than a single four-year term.
"What we, the people of the South-East, want is eight years of presidency and not four years. The people saying that somebody will rule for four years as President ruled for eight years as governor. If four years was enough, why did they govern for eight years as governors? They would have stopped at four years," Umahi said.
He added, "Four years is introduction. So, our position as leaders of the South-East is that Igbo need a complete eight years of presidency.
"We must support the re-election of President Bola Tinubu so that we can rule for eight years when our time comes for the position."
The minister urged the people of the region to consider the long-term political implications of their choices in 2027, insisting that sustained political engagement and support were necessary to advance the South-East's quest for the presidency.
The town hall meeting formed part of the APC Presidential Campaign Council's mobilisation and sensitisation efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.
