Prince Paul Ikonne, a prominent figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the former Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), has issued a sharp response to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe’s recent assertions regarding the 2023 presidential election.
During an appearance on Tuesday’s edition of the TVC program this Morning, the 16th of December, 2025, Ikonne dismissed the Senator’s skepticism over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate, characterizing the remarks as the product of political anxiety as the 2027 electoral cycle approaches.
The disagreement stems from comments made by Senator Abaribe on Monday, the 15th of December, in which he challenged the legitimacy of the President’s victory and expressed doubt over his future prospects.
Ikonne countered this by stating that the Senator’s frequent criticisms are fueled by the opposition’s observation of the ruling party’s growing momentum. He defended the 2023 results as a settled matter, validated by both the electorate and the judiciary, and suggested that Abaribe is increasingly out of touch with the evolving political environment in the South-East.
Ikonne did not hold back in his assessment of the Senator’s political standing, suggesting that Abaribe is using controversial statements to remain relevant. He questioned the Senator’s own electoral record in Abia State, claiming that he had lost touch with his local base. Elaborating on this, Ikonne remarked:
“If you know Senator Abaribe very well, you will realize that he is an attention seeker. He is always seeking attention. This is a man who did not win his own election in 2023. One young man defeated him during the election, and anybody who wants to know the details should get what the young man filed at the Tribunal against Senator Abaribe.”
According to the APC chieftain, the political structure of the South-East is undergoing a massive realignment in favor of the President. He argued that the opposition is in a state of alarm because their foundations are crumbling as leaders and constituents migrate to the ruling party. Ikonne described the current climate by saying: “What Abaribe displayed showed clearly that the opposition, if any, are panicking. The President won election, not just in one state but across the country and his popularity has gone up more than what it was in 2023 because 90 per cent of PDP in the entire South-east have collapsed into the APC.”
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Ikonne further emphasized that politics is ultimately a numbers game, and those numbers are currently moving toward the presidency. He predicted a landslide victory in the next general election, noting that “The raw materials of politics are human beings, and those human beings are now gravitating towards President Tinubu. This is the reality in the South-East and Nigeria as a whole. I can assure you that there will be an Asiwaju tsunami in 2027.”
He concluded his remarks by inviting remaining opposition members to reconsider their stance, asserting that the region has become a bastion for the ruling party. He stated, “Like in the South East now, the region is now the stronghold of APC if you look at it very well. So the door is still open for those who have seen the light to join us and for those who have not seen anything we wish them well.”