A faction of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called on former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to abandon his 2027 presidential ambitions and instead support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by factional Deputy President-General Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group warned that the South-East region lacks the political capacity to deliver the presidency to Obi and urged him to prioritize regional interests over personal ambition.
The faction criticized Obi’s previous political alliances, particularly lamenting that the joint Atiku-Obi ticket in 2019 allegedly cost the South-East a potential sixth state that former President Muhammadu Buhari had reportedly promised to Igbo leaders in exchange for their support.
Despite acknowledging that the South-East served as a Labour Party stronghold during the 2023 elections, the group praised President Tinubu’s administration for making significant progress in addressing the region’s infrastructure challenges.
“The appointment of Engr. David Umahi, as the Minister of Works, tasked with the critical mandate of rehabilitating the South-East’s dilapidated federal road projects, exemplifies this commitment. Furthermore, under President Tinubu’s leadership, federal allocations to the South-East have tripled, benefiting all five South-East governors, irrespective of their diverse political affiliations,” the statement noted.
The faction expressed concern about the potential impact of opposition disunity on the 2027 electoral landscape, specifically citing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s continued presidential aspirations at age 81 as a complicating factor.
“The current political dynamics, exacerbated by Atiku Abubakar’s relentless pursuit of an octogenarian presidency at the age of 81, coupled with his ambiguous support for Mr Obi, suggest that their candidacies may ultimately divide the votes of the opposition, thereby facilitating a triumphant re-election for President Tinubu,” the group argued.
Isiguzoro warned that such vote division could have “adverse repercussions for the South-East,” urging Obi to engage in what he termed “a profound reassessment of his ambitions.”
The faction called on the former Anambra State governor to abandon his presidential aspirations in favor of negotiating for the South-East’s pressing developmental needs, arguing that supporting Tinubu’s re-election would better serve regional interests.
“It is in the best interest of our region that Mr Obi summon his righteous resolve to support President Tinubu’s re-election campaign in 2027, particularly in light of the infrastructural developments spearheaded by Umahi and the collective bargaining efforts of the South-East,” the statement declared.
While acknowledging Obi’s constitutional right to contest the presidency in 2027, the group expressed “grave concerns regarding the viability of such a candidacy,” warning of potential betrayal that could yield “dire consequences for the Igbo people.”
The faction emphasized that unity and collaboration are essential for the South-East’s collective advancement, urging Obi to prioritize regional development over personal political ambitions.
“We must assert that the path to victory for President Bola Tinubu in the upcoming 2027 elections is fraught with challenges, particularly when considering the formidable influence of incumbency and the disunity that currently plagues the opposition coalition,” Isiguzoro noted.
The statement represents a significant development in South-East political dynamics, with a prominent Igbo organization publicly advocating for opposition unity behind the incumbent president rather than supporting one of their own region’s most prominent political figures.
