By Chinwe Onuigbo, Awka
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent a message of hope and inclusion to the people of Anambra State, assuring members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that they “will never walk alone” as the party intensifies efforts to make inroads in Nigeria’s South-East region.
Speaking to an estimated crowd of over one million supporters at the All Saints Anglican Cathedral Field in Onitsha, the President, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said the strong turnout reflected Anambra’s readiness to connect with the nation’s political mainstream.
“The rain is a blessing,” Akpabio told the cheering crowd. “From today, you will no longer walk alone. The South-East will take its rightful place in the centre of national development.”
President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to reintegrating the South-East into national governance, recalling the long-standing post-civil war promises of Reconciliation, Reconstruction, and Rehabilitation.
He pledged that under his Renewed Hope Agenda, the region would benefit from increased federal attention in infrastructure, trade, and industrial growth.
Akpabio, who described the APC under Tinubu as a “mother hen spreading its wings across Nigeria,” said the proposed South-East Development Commission would accelerate economic recovery and development in the region. “The Commission will empower our people and rebuild our economy,” he said.
The rally formally presented Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu and Senator Uche Ekwunife as the APC governorship and deputy governorship candidates, respectively, ahead of the November 8 election. Akpabio described Ukachukwu as “a son of the soil” and urged voters to unite behind him.
At the event, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, called on Anambra voters to embrace what he termed “a new dawn of inclusive governance.”
He said the APC’s agenda was focused on restoring infrastructure, reviving education, and promoting enterprise. “Anambra is too vital to be left behind,” Yilwatda said. “We bring a message of hope, partnership, and progress.”
The APC Governors’ Forum Chairman and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, urged supporters to remain peaceful throughout the campaign. “The APC is not known for violence,” he said. “Let us conduct ourselves responsibly and allow INEC to deliver a credible election. Your votes will count.”
Earlier, the party delegation visited the Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, to seek royal blessings for the campaign. The visit emphasised the APC’s outreach to traditional institutions as part of its broader political engagement in the state.
In his remarks, Ukachukwu thanked supporters for their turnout despite the downpour, promising to deliver accountable leadership if elected. “When you vote for progress, we will rebuild Anambra together,” he said.
The rally ended in chants of unity and optimism, with party leaders expressing confidence that November 8 could mark a new chapter in Anambra’s political trajectory.