South East leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress have endorsed Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State to lead the Southeast Zonal Campaign Council of President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 re-election bid.

Also, the leaders agreed to join forces for the re-election of President Buhari and for the party’s victory in the five states of the region in the 2019 general elections.

This was the outcome of the party’s meeting on Sunday night at the Abuja Lodge of the Imo State Governor.

Mr. Okorocha’s Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, on Monday, in a statement said the APC regional leaders resolved to set up Buhari campaign organisation in the zone, with Mr. Okorocha as the leader, while similar structures would be set up in the other four south-east states.

“The South-East leaders resolved that they would not allow the fate that had befallen APC in the zone in 2015 to repeat itself in 2019, and agreed that they would let Igbo people know and appreciate the efficacy of launching the zone to national politics using the 2019 election as a take-off point,” the statement read.

So far, about eight APC governors have endorsed Mr. Buhari for 2019.

The APC governors, Nasir El Rufai (Kaduna), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Abubakar Bello (Niger), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe) and Jibrilla Bindow (Adamawa) had visited the president at the Presidential Villa in Abuja barely 24 hours after 73 persons killed by suspected herdsmen in Benue were buried, asking him to seek re-election.

This move by the governors was met with criticisms even from Buhari loyalists.

A senator, Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central), said it was morally wrong for the governors to endorse Mr. Buhari “at this material time when all hands should be on deck to advise or support him to end the mindless bloodletting & carnage in the country.”

On Friday, Governor Okorocha who is also the Chairman, APC Governors Forum, said the governors endorsed Mr. Buhari again because four years is not enough for him to deliver his campaign promises.

The governor said Mr. Buhari needs a second term to fulfill all his promises.