Nto to Tinubu: Appoint minister from Abia to boost APC’s chances
An All Progressives Congress chieftain in Abia State and former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning, Prof. Phillips Nto, has urged President Bola Tinubu to urgently appoint an indigene of the state to fill the vacant ministerial slot previously occupied by Nkiruka Onyejeocha.
Nto said filling the position would strengthen the APC in Abia and make it easier for party members to campaign for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The former commissioner made the appeal while receiving APC stakeholders from Ututu.
According to him, the continued absence of an Abia representative in the Federal Executive Council has generated questions among residents and party supporters, particularly at a time when the APC is seeking to consolidate its presence in the South-East.
He said, “I really don’t know what is responsible for the delay, but I believe that Mr President should move swiftly to address the issue and give Abia people a sense of belonging.
“Mr President will make our job easier if he appoints an Abia person a minister so that we could also be part of the administration.”
Onyejeocha, who previously served as Minister of State for Labour and Employment, resigned from the cabinet in 2026 amid preparations for the 2027 elections.
Nto said the delay in filling the Abia slot was becoming increasingly difficult for APC members to explain to their opponents during political engagements.
He noted that ministers from some other states who resigned had been replaced, arguing that Abia should not be treated differently.
“APC members in Abia are now overburdened answering questions from opposition parties on why Mr President has not appointed an Abia indigene as minister,” he said.
The APC chieftain, however, urged Tinubu to appoint whoever he considered suitable for the position, stressing that the priority should be to fill the vacancy.
“Even if there is disagreement among stakeholders on who should occupy the position, Mr President should appoint anybody of his choice. What is important is that Abia should have a representative in the Federal Executive Council,” he said.
Nto also urged APC members in Abia to intensify their mobilisation ahead of 2027, saying the party had enough campaign materials in the policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration.
He cited the removal of the petrol subsidy as one of the major decisions of the administration, arguing that it had increased revenues available to the three tiers of government for development.
He also pointed to federal infrastructure projects in the South-East and the appointment of an Igbo officer as a service chief as evidence of what he described as the administration’s efforts to promote inclusion.
According to him, the rehabilitation of federal roads in the South-East should also be communicated to residents as part of the administration’s achievements.
Nto, who was an APC senatorial aspirant, urged party stakeholders in Abia to remain focused on strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said the appointment of an Abia indigene to the Federal Executive Council would further boost the morale of APC members in the state and provide them with additional political leverage in their engagements with voters.
The appeal comes as political parties and their supporters intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, with the APC seeking to expand its influence in the South-East, where the party has historically faced stiff competition from opposition parties.
