ABUJA — President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has formally adopted the ARISE With Renewed Hope Initiative as his political structure and campaign machinery for the 2027 general elections in Akwa Ibom State.
Akpabio made this known in Abuja over the weekend while receiving the leadership of the Initiative, describing the engagement as historic and a defining moment for political unity in the state.
In a statement signed on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, Akpabio said the emergence of the ARISE With Renewed Hope Initiative signals stability, preparedness and victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 polls.
“With this group, Akwa Ibom State is safe and ready for the elections. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno and I will work with this group to achieve its set targets,” Akpabio said.
He expressed confidence that the APC would record unprecedented electoral outcomes in the state, adding: “With this group, Akwa Ibom State will be the first state in Nigeria to return President Bola Tinubu with massive votes. Akwa Ibom State will re-elect Governor Umo Eno, and it will overwhelmingly re-elect me. What Governor Umo Eno has done in bringing us together is divine, ordained, and guarantees a brighter future for Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria.”
Speaking at the event, Governor Umo Eno described the ARISE With Renewed Hope Initiative as the foremost political structure in Akwa Ibom State, reflecting unity and collective strength under the APC.
The governor noted that the initiative represents the consolidation of political forces in the state, adding that its foundation was laid by Senator Akpabio, whom he described as a leader with a strong and enduring grassroots base. He said the group is composed of major political stakeholders across the state, united by a common purpose.
Earlier, the President-General of the group, Engr. Uwem Okoko, said the visit was to formally present the Initiative to the Senate President, following its earlier presentation to Governor Eno.
“Our mission is victory for the APC in 2027. Akwa Ibom State is firmly and overwhelmingly APC, marching towards successful re-election victories for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Governor Umo Eno,” Okoko said.
He commended President Tinubu for ongoing national reforms and pledged that Akwa Ibom State would deliver bloc votes — the highest in the country — during the elections. He also reaffirmed the group’s total support for Governor Eno’s ARISE Agenda and his second-term ambition.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the group, Sir Victor Antai, said the gathering marked a historic moment, describing the Initiative as a coalition of leaders with deep grassroots reach and strong mobilisation capacity for the APC.
The highlight of the visit was the presentation of the official regalia of the group to Senator Akpabio by the President-General, Engr. Okoko, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Victor Antai, formally confirming his role as the Grand Patron of the Initiative.
