A faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has urged Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to support President Bola Tinubu's reelection bid in 2027, claiming that the South-East region alone cannot make him president.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the factional Deputy President-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, argued that Obi should prioritize regional interests over personal ambition, pointing to infrastructure developments in the South-East under Tinubu's administration.
Isiguzoro reminded Nigerians that the joint Atiku-Obi ticket in 2019 cost the South-East a potential sixth state, which he claimed was promised by former President Muhammadu Buhari to Igbo leaders in exchange for their support.
"Despite the South-East being a Labour Party stronghold in 2023, President Tinubu's administration has made notable strides in addressing the region's infrastructural deficits," the statement read.
The faction highlighted the appointment of Engineer David Umahi as Minister of Works, tasked with rehabilitating federal road projects in the South-East, as evidence of Tinubu's commitment to the region. They also claimed that federal allocations to the South-East have tripled under Tinubu's leadership, benefiting all five South-East governors regardless of political affiliations.
"In light of these uncomfortable realities, Ohanaeze passionately urges Mr. Obi to reconsider his aspirations for the presidency in 2027," the statement continued. The faction suggested that candidacies by both Obi and Atiku Abubakar would divide opposition votes, facilitating Tinubu's reelection.
Isiguzoro described this as "a bitter pill for Mr. Obi to swallow" but insisted it was essential for him to reassess his ambitions. The faction implored Obi to "relinquish his presidential aspirations in favour of negotiating for the pressing needs of the South-East."
While acknowledging Obi's constitutional right to contest in 2027, the factional Ohanaeze expressed "grave concerns regarding the viability of such a candidacy," warning that Obi might face betrayal that could yield "dire consequences for the Igbo people."
The statement recalled what it described as "painful lessons" from 2019 and 2023, claiming that in both instances, "the South-East bore the brunt of electoral losses, resulting in significant political repercussions."
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