By Emmanuella Opara | October 25th 2026
KEY POINTS
- Youths from Etim Ekpo and Ika LGAs pledge support for APC candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
- The group promises grassroots mobilisation across Akwa Ibom’s 31 local government areas.
- Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, urges party members to unite behind the candidates.
MAIN STORY
Youths from Etim Ekpo and Ika Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State have endorsed President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Governor Umo Eno and other All Progressives Congress candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The endorsement was announced at a rally held on Saturday at the Etim Ekpo Local Government Council Secretariat in Utu Etim Ekpo, where the youths pledged to mobilise grassroots support for the party’s candidates.
The motion was moved by youth leader Thompson Thompson and seconded by Mfon Akpan.
Speaking on behalf of the youths, Goodnews Obidiah said they were committed to mobilising young people and communities to support the APC in the forthcoming elections.
He said, “We will mobilise grassroots support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, our amiable Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno, Hon. Clement Jimbo and Sir Boniface Ebewo for National Assembly and state assembly seats respectively.”
Another youth leader, Mfonobong Moses, said the group would mobilise young people across the state’s 31 local government areas to support Tinubu’s policies and programmes.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, urged APC members to remain committed to the party and work together to secure victory for its candidates.
Ekpo expressed support for Tinubu’s re-election and Akpabio’s return to the Senate, while endorsing Eno for a second term. He also expressed confidence in the electoral prospects of Clement Jimbo and Boniface Ebewo.
The minister commended Eno for creating what he described as an enabling environment for political leaders to perform their duties, saying the governor deserved another term.
Earlier, the chairmen of Etim Ekpo and Ika local government areas, Gideon Uwa and Utibe Nwoko, respectively, said the rally was organised to reaffirm the councils’ support for the APC and its candidates.
They urged party members and supporters to sustain grassroots mobilisation ahead of the elections.
Former political officeholders and stakeholders, including Emmanuel Enoidem and the political leader of Etim Ekpo, DIG Udom Ekpoudom (retd.), also expressed support for the candidates.
The Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr Ekerette Ekanem, highlighted the state government’s interventions in education, youth empowerment, infrastructure and employment. He urged young people to remain involved in the political process.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Inibehe Silas, said women in Etim Ekpo and Ika were prepared to mobilise support for the APC candidates, urging them to remain united ahead of the elections.
Responding to the endorsement, Ebewo, who is seeking the APC ticket for the Etim Ekpo State Constituency seat, and Jimbo, a candidate for the House of Representatives, pledged to promote responsive leadership, strategic empowerment and participatory representation.
Other speakers, including the state APC Women Leader, Obonganwan Obonodo Uko, and the Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission, Dr Saviour Enyiekere, called for party unity and sustained mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
THE ISSUES
The endorsement reflects efforts by APC supporters in Etim Ekpo and Ika to build grassroots backing for the party’s candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections. The youths’ pledge to mobilise supporters across all 31 local government areas sets out their stated ambition to extend the campaign beyond the two councils.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“We, the youths of Akwa Ibom, are pledging our support for President Tinubu. We believe in his leadership and we will continue to stand by him,” Mfonobong Moses, a youth leader, said.
WHAT’S NEXT
The youths and other APC stakeholders are expected to continue mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections, although the report does not specify a timetable or further activities.
BOTTOM LINE
Youths from Etim Ekpo and Ika have pledged to mobilise grassroots support for Tinubu and other APC candidates, as party stakeholders in Akwa Ibom seek to strengthen their position ahead of the 2027 elections.
