PDP to APC: Nnamdi Kanu’s Incarceration Will Cost You South-East Votes

As political parties begin to position themselves for the 2027 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over what it described as attempts to court South-East voters despite the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.

The Deputy National Secretary of the PDP, Richard Nnanna Ihediwa, said the APC should not expect electoral support from the South-East after allegedly “superintending the jailing of the region’s prominent son.”

Ihediwa made the remarks during an Abia PDP stakeholders’ meeting and the inauguration of Local Government Caretaker Committee leaders in Umuahia.

He accused the APC of maladministration and the political marginalisation of the South-East, warning that the ruling party would record poor results in the region in the 2027 elections.

“APC has failed Nigeria and we have suffered enough, especially in the South-East. A government that jailed your son and kept him far away from you should not expect your support,” he said.

The PDP chieftain also reiterated the party’s readiness to contest all elective positions in the 2027 general elections, assuring Nigerians that the opposition party remained united.

According to him, the emergence of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki at the party’s November 2025 convention in Ibadan had resolved its leadership dispute.

He alleged that the APC was behind attempts to destabilise the PDP through political infiltration, insisting that the opposition party remained the most formidable platform capable of unseating the ruling party.

“The PDP is fully prepared for the 2027 general elections and will offer Nigerians a credible alternative. Nigerians should know that the APC is not an option in 2027,” he said.

Ihediwa further accused the APC-led Federal Government of mismanaging the economy, claiming its policies had worsened the country’s economic conditions.

He also condemned alleged attempts by some party members to undermine the PDP for personal gain, describing such actions as regrettable.

Meanwhile, former Senate President and Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, has formally launched the party’s online membership registration in Abia State.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Wabara urged members across the state to register in large numbers, expressing confidence that the PDP had been repositioned for future electoral victories.

He commended the Abia PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Emeka-Yellow Ikpegbu, for demonstrating leadership capacity within a short period in office.

While describing the PDP as a resilient political platform, Wabara declared that the party “can never die,” even as he urged the new leadership in Abia to avoid godfatherism and ensure transparency and fairness in party affairs.

According to him, more Nigerians would be attracted to the party if internal processes were guided by due process rather than imposition.

He also called on former members who left the party during its internal crises to return, expressing optimism that the PDP would reclaim several states in the 2027 elections.

Earlier, while inaugurating the Local Government Caretaker Committees, Ikpegbu described their appointment as a call to service and responsible leadership.

He urged the new officials to rebuild party structures at the grassroots, mobilise members and reconnect with supporters in order to restore public confidence in the party.

Ikpegbu acknowledged that the PDP in Abia had experienced internal challenges that weakened its structures but insisted that the party had turned a new page.

He also announced plans for an aggressive membership drive across the state, maintaining that Abia remained a stronghold of the PDP.

“This is the time to heal old wounds, rebuild trust and reunite our party. The era of sabotage must end,” he said.

Other speakers at the event included former Umuahia North lawmaker Emeka Ejiogu, former Commissioner for Housing James Opara, and Tamuna Iyala, who represented the three senatorial zones of the party.

In his remarks, Opara expressed confidence that the PDP had regained stability in Abia and pledged support for efforts to rebuild the party ahead of future elections.

He also criticised the ruling APC, accusing it of attempting to weaken the opposition through political infiltration.

Opara further took a swipe at the City Boy Movement, a support group for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, dismissing it as “a movement of jobless people.”