…… rules out South-East of having consensus presidential candidate for 2027 general elections
WorldStage— Nigeria’s Minister of Works and former Governor of Ebonyi State, Senator David Umahi, has questioned the political credentials of former Anambra State Governor and NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, comparing him with other prominent South-East political figures, including Anyim Pius Anyim, Sam Egwu and Elias Mbam.
Umahi also declared that the South-East region does not have a consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Speaking at an All Progressives Congress (APC) town hall meeting in Abakaliki, Umahi argued that the geopolitical zone currently features political aspirants rather than a unified candidate capable of commanding broad national support.
The town hall, organized by the Directorate of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, served as a platform for Umahi to evaluate the region’s national political standing.
In his address, Umahi challenged the political standing of Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate who is expected to run under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) platform in 2027.
Describing Obi as nobody in terms of monopolizing the region’s political destiny, Umahi maintained that Obi is not superior to other prominent South-East leaders.
He listed figures such as former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, former Minister of Education Sam Egwu, and himself as equally or more qualified to lead.
He dismissed claims of a leading regional figure, pointing out that true political representation requires deep national integration and consensus-building rather than isolated regional popularity.
He argued that supporting President Bola Tinubu for another four years would help the South-East build political alliances across other regions and improve its prospects of securing wider national support when an Igbo presidential candidate eventually emerges.
The minister cited federal appointments, including his own ministerial position and the appointment of an Igbo Chief of Air Staff, as evidence of increased South-East inclusion under the Tinubu administration. These remain part of his argument for regional support.
“Let us stop deceiving ourselves. We do not have a presidential candidate in the South-East for 2027. We only have aspirants, and Ebonyi has the right to make its own choice,” Umahi stated
He criticized past campaigns for failing to adequately consult governors and critical regional stakeholders before launching nationwide bids.
Instead of pursuing fragmented opposition campaigns, the Minister urged the South-East to align with the ruling party and back President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid for a second term. Umahi explained that supporting the current administration is a deliberate strategy to build necessary political capital.
By helping Tinubu complete an eight-year tenure, the South-East can position itself to earn the strategic backing of other geopolitical zones when power rotates.
Umahi therefore called on traditional and religious institutions to guide their communities away from sentimental voting patterns.
He noted that political victory in Nigeria is achieved through cross-regional alliances rather than isolated ethnic sentiments.
