A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Joe Igbokwe, has criticised former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, claiming he lacks the understanding required to lead Nigeria.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Igbokwe dismissed Obi’s recent pledge to serve only a single four-year term if elected president in 2027, describing it as a sign of desperation rather than strategy.
“Desperation everywhere. Those who do not know Nigeria very well and those who do not know what leadership is all about are desperately asking for a single term in office as President,” Igbokwe wrote. “Let us put our thinking caps. To be President of Nigeria is not moi moi.”
He further insisted that the South East should rally behind President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 if it hopes to eventually produce a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction.
Echoing similar sentiments, Minister of Works and former Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, dismissed the idea of a South East presidency in 2027 as unrealistic. In a statement issued in Abuja, Umahi warned against misleading narratives, urging the region to consolidate its political future by supporting Tinubu.
“We must not be deceived again. Mr. President must have the votes of South East up to 90 percent to cement this relationship,” Umahi stated. “Enough of darkening counsel without knowledge in the South East. We must rise to educate our people.”
Umahi praised Tinubu for his fairness to the region and called for a shift away from politics driven by sentiment and misinformation.
“If we want to be president, we must support other regions. With God, one day, they will support us. Mr. President must be supported to complete his tenure of eight years, which all regions are benefitting from,” he added.
Both leaders urged the South East to take a long-term view of national politics, positioning themselves strategically for the future rather than chasing what they termed unrealistic expectations for 2027.
