President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has assured President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that Akwa Ibom State will deliver the most votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-South during the 2027 general election.

Akpabio gave the assurance on Sunday at a special prayer service organised to dedicate the APC’s 2027 election campaigns to God at the International Christian Worship Centre, Uyo, the state capital.

The service, themed “We Are Well Able”, drew party leaders, members and supporters, including Governor Umo Eno.

Akpabio urged APC members and other stakeholders in the state to close ranks and work together to secure victory for Tinubu and all the party’s candidates.

He said Akwa Ibom had a special reason to appreciate Tinubu, noting that the President’s support helped him emerge as President of the Senate.

“An Akwa Ibom son, through the support of Mr President, is today the President of the Senate and the number three citizen of Nigeria. Whether you like him or not, he is there today. The only way to thank Mr President for that support is to give him all our votes,” he said.

Akpabio added, “From what I have seen here today, Akwa Ibom State will give Mr President the highest number of votes in the South-South region.”

In an address titled “One Family, One Destiny, One Akwa Ibom Under God”, the Senate President called for unity within the APC, warning against divisions between old and new members.

He said the party should operate as one family, irrespective of when members joined, stressing that everyone had a role to play in its electoral success.

“In the APC family, there should be no aborigines and no newcomers; no landlords and no tenants; no first-class members and no second-class members. There should be only one big family, united by a common purpose and a shared responsibility,” he said.

He added that political ambition should not undermine the party’s collective interest or the people’s welfare.

“Those who were here yesterday have a history to honour, and those who arrived today have contributions to make. Neither history nor arrival should become an instrument of exclusion,” he said.

Akpabio described Akwa Ibom as a model of purposeful leadership, peace and development, urging the people to preserve the state’s progress while strengthening national unity.

He said the state’s prosperity could not be separated from Nigeria’s overall development, noting that its people must also be concerned about insecurity and hardship elsewhere in the country.

“Akwa Ibom’s greatness is inseparable from Nigeria’s greatness. We cannot desire peace in Uyo and be indifferent to insecurity elsewhere in our federation, nor celebrate prosperity in our communities while ignoring hardship in other parts of our country,” he said.

Earlier, Governor Umo Eno thanked the people for their support in the last election and appealed for stronger backing for Tinubu, Akpabio, himself, and other APC candidates in 2027.

He assured the people of his commitment to continue serving the state with the fear of God if given another mandate. (The Nation)