Politics

2027: South-East Leaders Clash Over Igbo Presidency Feasibility

Published

2 months ago

August 21, 2026

2027: South-East Leaders Clash Over Igbo Presidency Feasibility

As the 2027 presidential election draws closer, a fierce debate has erupted over the prospects of an Igbo presidency, with political stakeholders divided on whether the dream is attainable or destined to fail. The controversy took centre stage on an Enugu-based Dream FM radio programme, monitored by THE WHISTLER, where contributors offered sharply contrasting views on the political future of the South-East. The discussion comes at a critical juncture, with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) having zoned its presidential ticket to the South for a single four-year term, clearing the way for Peter Obi, while prominent Igbo figures like Minister of Works David Umahi and a faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo have publicly endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

Dr. Amos Ogbonna, a human rights lawyer and Executive Director of the Centre for Non-Violence and Justice, made a passionate case for Igbo presidency during the radio programme. According to Ogbonna, there is a secret pact by the Nigerian federation to ensure that an Igbo man never becomes president. “Many people across the regions say they would never be alive to see an Igbo man emerge president of Nigeria. When you talk about long-term aspirations of Ndigbo, it is a mirage. Nigeria has a conspiracy and phobia against the Igbo,” Ogbonna declared. The lawyer argued that 2027 represents the only realistic opportunity for an Igbo presidency. He traced the history of power rotation since 1999, noting that the South-East has consistently been sidelined despite supporting other regions. He recalled that after the June 12 injustice, the Yoruba were compensated with the presidency, but the Igbo have never been similarly compensated for the civil war. Ogbonna also claimed that former President Muhammadu Buhari once promised that after his tenure, the Igbo would produce the president, a promise he said was later abandoned. He urged South-Easterners to unite and fight for the presidency, insisting that power would not be handed over voluntarily. “We are left with the remaining four years. By 2031, power will definitely return to the North. This is not a call for violence, but a reminder that we have to struggle for this power; they will not give us. If we don’t get it, we should be happy that we have tried,” he said.

Comrade Fidelis Edeh, a former labour leader and Executive Director of Service Accord Initiative, offered a more pragmatic perspective. He called on the Igbo to organise themselves strategically, acknowledging that the region must not run away from the consequences of the civil war. “We operate a multiparty system. We don’t need anybody to promise us. We usually contest. We must never run away from the consequences of the civil war,” Edeh said. Edeh also criticised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for sabotaging the Igbo presidency. He noted that from 1999, the Igbo camped in the PDP, which later abandoned zoning principles that would have favoured an Igbo candidate. He also accused Peter Obi of political inconsistency, noting that Obi has changed political parties multiple times, unlike Tinubu who has remained in one party. “President Bola Tinubu has remained in one political party up to this point. Obi was chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum when he was governor. But immediately he left office, he joined PDP, and abandoned APGA. This is the time to negotiate,” Edeh said.

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Minister of Works David Umahi, a former governor of Ebonyi State, has emerged as one of the most vocal opponents of Peter Obi’s presidential ambition. Speaking during an inspection tour of federal projects in Ebonyi State, Umahi insisted that the South-East votes alone cannot make Obi president. “Our brother, Peter Obi, is contesting for the presidency of the entire country, not the presidency of the South East. The votes of the South East alone cannot produce a president. We must be strategic,” Umahi stated. Umahi further claimed that Obi is not as popular in the South-East as he believes, describing his 2023 performance as an “accident of history.” He predicted that the South-East would massively vote for President Tinubu in 2027. “Who is after him? Nobody is after him. Because, you know, we want him to be on the ballot, to make the victory very sweet, you know, because he says that South East is his catchment area, and I’m saying that South East is not his catchment area,” Umahi said. Umahi urged South-Easterners to align strategically with the ruling APC to sustain the tempo of infrastructural development in the region. He pointed to ongoing federal road projects worth over N248 billion in Ebonyi State as proof of Tinubu’s commitment to the South-East.

Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, representing Ebonyi North, echoed similar sentiments in an interview with Channels Television. He argued that the current political arrangement does not favour an Igbo candidate for the presidency. “Peter Obi is coming at the wrong time. Even if our son comes to contest, it is very clear that the political permutation, as at present, does not favour an Igbo man. President Bola Tinubu and other APC candidates will win the south-east come the 2027 general election,” Nwebonyi declared.

A faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, led by Deputy President-General Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, has declared that an Igbo presidency is “not feasible” under the NDC. The group described the NDC as a regional party driven by Ijaw interests under the leadership of Senator Seriake Dickson. “We therefore urge Mr. Peter Obi to reconsider his 2027 presidential ambition in the greater interest of the Igbo people,” the faction said in a statement. The same faction has backed Tinubu’s re-election, describing it as a “strategic pathway” for the South-East. It even proposed a “2031 Vice Presidency Initiative” to position an Igbo leader for the vice-presidential slot under the APC, with Umahi and Chimaroke Nnamani identified as potential contenders. However, another faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by President General Senator Azuta Mbata, has dismissed reports suggesting no Igbo person would contest the 2027 election.

Despite the opposition, the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement (OK Movement) has intensified grassroots mobilisation in the South-East. At a summit in Enugu, the group declared its commitment to championing the ideals of a Peter Obi-Rabiu Kwankwaso alliance, which it said centres on inclusiveness and equal opportunity. The movement has directed its coordinators at state, local government, ward, and polling unit levels to commence aggressive sensitisation and membership mobilisation under the NDC. Additionally, the NDC has formally zoned its presidential ticket to the South for a single four-year term, with the vice-presidential slot zoned to the North. The party said the decision reflects its commitment to justice, inclusiveness and national stability. In his remarks at the party’s convention, Obi said: “We are not changing political platforms for transactional reasons. We are making a principled decision to find a platform that gives us the opportunity to build a new Nigeria that is possible.”

Adding another layer to the debate, Hon. Kasimu Maigari, a member of the ADC National Legislators’ Forum, claimed that Peter Obi’s political trajectory has set the Igbo presidency ambition back by two decades. “My worry is not if Peter Obi will win the presidency; my worry is that Peter Obi has pushed Igbo’s 20 years backwards from getting the Presidency,” Maigari said during an interview on ARISE News. He argued that many of Obi’s supporters are driven by personal political ambitions rather than long-term ideological commitment, and that if Obi were not on the ballot, many of them would struggle to win elections independently.

The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has also weighed in, warning opposition parties that insisting on zoning the 2027 presidential ticket to the South would amount to entering the contest “already defeated.” In a statement by his media aide Olusola Sanni, Atiku’s camp argued that no incumbent president has ever been defeated by an opposition challenger from the same geopolitical bloc. It also accused proponents of southern zoning of “intellectual dishonesty,” noting that the South would have held power for approximately 18 years by 2027, against roughly 10 years for the North. “The Southeast deserves a sustainable and credible pathway to national leadership — not symbolic tokenism or bespoke arrangements tailored to satisfy one individual’s ambition,” the statement said.

As the 2027 election approaches, the opposition faces mounting pressure to present a united front. The Igbo Presidency Project (IPP), a non-political group, has called for rotation of power among regions, arguing that granting the South-East the opportunity to produce a president would deepen national unity. However, with key stakeholders divided and political realignments shifting, the dream of an Igbo presidency remains uncertain. As Ogbonna put it: “We are going to get united and fight for the presidency of Nigeria for the remaining four years. If we don’t get it, we should be happy that we have tried.”

2027: South-East Leaders Clash Over Igbo Presidency Feasibility

Related Topics:Feasibility Igbo Presidency leaders South EAst

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Tompolo’s PBAT Movement Suspends Campaign Over Ondo Military Crash

Published

3 hours ago

October 6, 2026

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tompolo’s PBAT Movement Suspends Campaign Over Ondo Military Crash

The PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, a grassroots campaign organisation supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, has suspended all campaign activities for one week following the death of military personnel in the Ondo aircraft crash.

The decision was taken by the movement’s Grand Patron, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, as a mark of respect for the officers and other personnel who died in the crash.

The National Coordinator of the movement, Comrade Sunday Asuku, announced the suspension in a statement on Tuesday.

Tompolo described the military aircraft crash as a painful and monumental loss to the Nigerian Armed Forces and the country, saying the affected personnel paid the ultimate price in the line of duty.

He expressed condolences to President Tinubu, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the government and people of Ondo State, as well as the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased.

The movement said the sacrifice of military personnel who risk their lives to protect the country would not be forgotten.

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It also commended the Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, first responders and local residents who participated in search and rescue operations at the crash site despite the difficult terrain.

The PBAT movement called on the military authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the cause of the crash and ensure that lessons from the incident are applied to prevent similar tragedies.

The suspension comes shortly after the movement intensified its nationwide grassroots mobilisation for Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign.

The PBAT Door-to-Door Movement had, in recent days, held mobilisation activities in states including Yobe and Taraba, with its leadership urging Nigerians to support the continuation of the Tinubu administration’s policies.

The movement was founded by Tompolo and inaugurated its national executive in July 2026 as part of efforts to mobilise grassroots support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election.

The campaign suspension means planned political mobilisation activities will be put on hold for one week as the movement joins Nigerians in mourning the military personnel killed in the Ondo NAF crash.

The Nigerian Air Force has said an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident. President Tinubu has also declared three days of national mourning for the victims and ordered a thorough investigation into the crash. (State House Abuja)

Tompolo’s PBAT Movement Suspends Campaign Over Ondo Military Crash

Politics

2027: Ajaero Questions Tinubu, Atiku, Obi’s Economic Approach, Highlights Adebayo’s Ideas

Published

22 hours ago

October 5, 2026

Trends Admin

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero

2027: Ajaero Questions Tinubu, Atiku, Obi’s Economic Approach, Highlights Adebayo’s Ideas

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has questioned the economic positions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, while saying the ideas of Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo deserve serious attention ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Ajaero made the comments during an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on Mic On, where he was asked about the economic policies of Atiku and other leading figures in the 2027 race.

Rather than focusing solely on Atiku’s economic proposals, the NLC president highlighted the positions of Adebayo and Accord Party presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, saying he had examined their ideas and was willing to listen to them.

“I have looked at Gbenga Hashim’s position and I think he’s an expert to an extent. I also looked at Adebayo. I may listen to them,” Ajaero said.

He subsequently contrasted the economic approaches of Adebayo and Olawepo-Hashim with those of Tinubu, Atiku and Obi.

“Peter Obi, Atiku and Asiwaju, they all have the same position and they have shown that they are market people from far right,” he said.

Ajaero’s remarks have drawn attention to the economic debate ahead of the 2027 election, particularly as issues such as inflation, fuel prices, electricity costs, unemployment, wages and declining purchasing power remain major concerns for Nigerians.

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Adebayo, who is contesting the 2027 presidency on the SDP platform, has built his campaign around social democracy, increased domestic production, job creation and a stronger role for government in providing public services and expanding economic opportunities.

The SDP candidate has also made energy reform a major part of his campaign, arguing that high energy costs and inadequate electricity supply continue to constrain households, businesses and industrial production.

His policy blueprint, Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity: Governance & Accelerated Development — Blueprint of a New Nigeria, 2027–2031, proposes mechanisms for monitoring government performance through measurable targets, periodic assessments and implementation milestones.

Adebayo has also advocated greater emphasis on domestic production, with the argument that Nigeria must reduce its dependence on imports and foreign exchange while strengthening local industries and productive capacity.

Olawepo-Hashim, whom Ajaero also mentioned, has similarly made energy and industrialisation central to his economic programme. His proposed Energy First agenda focuses on increasing domestic energy production, expanding refining capacity and reducing energy costs.

Ajaero’s comments do not amount to a formal endorsement of Adebayo or Olawepo-Hashim for the 2027 presidential election. Rather, the NLC president said their economic proposals were sufficiently different from those of the politicians he discussed to warrant further engagement.

The intervention comes as political parties and presidential candidates increasingly position their economic policies at the centre of the 2027 campaign, with competing proposals on fuel pricing, taxation, electricity, wages, industrialisation, employment and social protection.

For the NLC, which represents organised labour and has been at the forefront of debates over wages and the impact of economic reforms on workers, the direction of the next administration’s economic policy is expected to remain a major issue ahead of the election.

With the 2027 political contest gathering momentum, the competing economic visions of the presidential candidates are likely to face increased scrutiny from organised labour, businesses and voters as parties intensify their campaigns.

2027: Ajaero Questions Tinubu, Atiku, Obi’s Economic Approach, Highlights Adebayo’s Ideas

Politics

2027: Soludo Govt Accuses Peter Obi Of Plot To Destroy APGA

Published

1 day ago

October 5, 2026

Trends Admin

2027: Soludo Govt Accuses Peter Obi Of Plot To Destroy APGA

The Anambra State Government has declared former governor Peter Obi and his Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) a threat to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ahead of the 2027 presidential election, urging APGA supporters to resist the opposition party.

The state government made the declaration in a message issued through its New Media office on Monday, accusing Obi of working to weaken the party that gave him the platform to become governor of Anambra.

The government described its message as a “betrayal alert” to APGA supporters, alleging that Obi had been seeking to undermine the party since leaving it in 2014.

It urged party members in the state not to be swayed by Obi’s current political influence, arguing that APGA remained the political platform responsible for his emergence as governor.

The government said, “Since 2014, Obi has had one mission: to destroy the party that made him,” while calling on APGA members to defend the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

The development comes amid an increasingly tense political relationship between Obi and the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo.

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Obi governed Anambra from 2006 to 2014 on the APGA platform before leaving the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He later joined the Labour Party, under which he contested the 2023 presidential election, before becoming the presidential candidate of the NDC ahead of the 2027 election.

The former governor remains an influential political figure in the South-East, particularly in Anambra, where his 2023 presidential campaign recorded strong support.

The Anambra government’s latest position also comes against the backdrop of APGA’s alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The state government has previously defended its relationship with the President and maintained that supporting Tinubu does not conflict with APGA’s interests.

However, Obi’s emergence as the NDC presidential candidate has created a new political challenge for APGA, particularly because of his longstanding influence among voters in Anambra and the wider South-East.

The NDC has rejected the allegations against Obi, accusing the Soludo administration of attacking the former governor because of concerns about his popularity.

NDC Director of New Media and Strategic Communications, Theo Abu Agada, described the state government’s position as political blackmail and maintained that the party was confident of its prospects in the 2027 election.

The latest exchange has further widened the political divide between the camps of Peter Obi and Chukwuma Soludo, with both sides increasingly positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.

For APGA, the emergence of Obi and the NDC presents a particularly sensitive political challenge because of the former governor’s history with the party and his continued influence in Anambra.

The 2027 election is therefore expected to produce a major political contest in the state, with APGA seeking to retain its influence while Obi’s NDC attempts to convert his personal support base into wider electoral backing.