In preparation for the 2027 general election, President Bola Tinubu is amplifying his efforts to secure votes from the South-East in order to obtain a second term in office, leveraging the Onitsha-Aba and other road projects as a form of exchange.
The President has also communicated to the region that the dualization of the Owerri-Aba and Enugu-Abakaliki roads, along with the contracts for the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Nassarawa-Abuja roads initiated by his administration, serve as evidence that a second term would yield greater benefits of democracy, thereby encouraging substantial support from the region for his re-election campaign.
Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, reiterated this message during the golden jubilee celebration of the Amaifeke Community’s traditional ruler in the Orlu Local Council Area, His Royal Majesty, Eze E.C Okeke, which took place in Owerri over the weekend.
A statement released by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media, Uchenna Orji, indicated that the President urged the region to reciprocate the inclusivity and economic opportunities provided by his administration by backing his re-election efforts.
The statement emphasized: “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, has reaffirmed his steadfast dedication to fostering inclusive economic prosperity for all segments of the nation.
In the meantime, the Chidi Ibe faction of the leading socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, stated over the weekend that no Igbo individual will run for the presidency in 2027 against the current President, Tinubu, asserting that the prospect of the South-East producing a Nigerian President can only materialize in 2035, rather than in 2027.
In a statement made in Abakaliki, which was signed by the Deputy President General of the faction, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, along with the national spokesman, Thompson Ohia, it was disclosed that the decision was reached following a significant meeting with South-East political leaders, Imeobi and Nzukoumunna. During this meeting, they agreed that no Igbo individual will run for the Presidency in 2027 against Tinubu, indicating a rejection of the one-term bid proposal.
They asserted that the most viable political avenue for achieving the Igbo presidency lies within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2035, contingent upon a modification of the zoning formula. They noted that among prominent Igbo figures, the Minister of Works, Umahi, is particularly distinguished.
Additionally, the Arogbo Ijaws announced their support for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 over the weekend, pledging to mobilize across Ijaw clans and kingdoms throughout the nation.
In expressing their commitment to support High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, commonly referred to as Tompolo, and his door-to-door campaign initiative for Tinubu’s re-election, they commended the President for utilizing Tompolo’s creativity, emphasizing that this strategy has effectively transformed the negative narrative associated with the Niger Delta.
