The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has declared that the South-East has no presidential candidate in the 2027 general election, dismissing the presidential ambition of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Peter Obi, while urging the people of the region to support President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid.
Umahi made the declaration on Sunday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, during a town hall meeting organised by the Directorate of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).
The former Ebonyi State governor argued that the South-East should strategically support Tinubu for another four-year term to strengthen the region's political relationship with other parts of the country and improve its prospects of producing a president when it is due.
He maintained that the Igbo should approach the 2027 presidential election with political pragmatism rather than sentiments, insisting that supporting Tinubu would demonstrate the region's commitment to national political accommodation and inclusion.
"There is no way an Igbo man, after staying for 60 years, will want to be President for four years. There is nobody that can accept that. The North has not accepted to be President for four years," Umahi said.
He added that the South-East should not allow political sentiments and divisive rhetoric on social media to dictate its political choices, arguing that the region had witnessed increased representation in key positions under the Tinubu administration.
According to him, the appointment of an Igbo as Chief of Naval Staff in the previous round of service chiefs' appointments and the subsequent appointment of another South-Easterner as Chief of Air Staff, alongside his own position as Minister of Works and other ministerial and political appointments, demonstrated the region's inclusion in the current administration.
"Today, we can boldly say we have been integrated. The last time there were choosing service chiefs, it was Naval Chief. This time, it is Chief of Air Staff, Minister of Works, other ministers, SSAs, what else?" he asked.
Umahi further argued that the South-East should consolidate its relationship with the Federal Government rather than pursue its presidential ambition through what he described as hate speeches and political hostility.
"My mouth will not shut up because I am telling our people for a reference for tomorrow. We are supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to finish his remaining four years so that the South-East would have strategically supported another region. So that when it is our turn, we will not get this thing by hate speeches; they will not give to us by sentiments," he stated.
The minister also took a swipe at Obi, questioning his political standing in comparison with prominent Igbo leaders, including former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, former Minister of Education Sam Egwu and former Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Chief Elias Mbam.
"Who is Peter Obi better than? Who is here better than? Is he better than Sam Egwu? Is he better than Elias Mbam? Is he better than the lion of South-East, myself? Is he better than Anyim Pius? Whom is he better than?" Umahi queried.
He subsequently described Obi as "nobody", insisting that the South-East should not be deceived into believing that it had an established presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Umahi also urged traditional rulers, religious leaders and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to openly articulate their positions on the political direction of the region, warning against what he described as political fence-sitting.
He recalled CAN's intervention during his governorship ambition in Ebonyi State, urging the Christian body to demonstrate similar commitment to what he described as justice and the political future of the South-East.
"I want to tell our religious leaders and Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, do not stay on the fence. I know when I was struggling to be governor, CAN took a decision and said justice must prevail.
"CAN, don't keep quiet. Let us toe the path that must sustain our freedom," he said.
The minister also cited improvements in road infrastructure and the ease of doing business as reasons the South-East should support the Tinubu administration, claiming that traders from the region now clear their goods with greater ease and that major roads were being rehabilitated to facilitate economic activities.
On the forthcoming elections, Umahi pledged to mobilise 1.3 million votes for Tinubu and Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru, describing such electoral support as a responsibility the state must fulfil.
He disclosed that Ebonyi had approximately 1.8 million registered voters and argued that delivering 1.3 million votes for the two leaders would demonstrate the state's political commitment.
"We have 1.8 million registered voters in Ebonyi State. Let me tell you, if we are not donating 1.3 million votes for the President, for the Governor, we are doing ourselves disservice," he said.
Umahi, who expressed confidence in the political strength of the APC in Ebonyi, also dismissed suggestions that another political party could dislodge the ruling party from power in the state, describing those who believed they could defeat Nwifuru as jokers.
