JUST IN: Confusion As Ohanaeze mounts pressure on Peter Obi to drop 2027 presidential ambition, support Tinubu’s re-election 

Ohanaeze mounts pressure on Peter Obi to drop 2027 presidential ambition, support Tinubu’s re-election

 

 

 

A faction of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called on Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, to abandon his 2027 presidential ambition and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for re-election.

 

The appeal was made by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group’s Deputy National President, in a statement released on Wednesday in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. According to Isiguzoro, supporting President Tinubu’s second term would foster national stability and enhance the Southeast region’s political relevance.

 

He argued that Obi’s chances of clinching the presidency in 2027 were slim due to internal divisions among opposition figures and the difficulty of unseating an incumbent president. Isiguzoro further warned that a divided opposition, particularly between Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, could pave the way for Tinubu’s easy re-election.

 

“The current political climate, marked by a lack of unity among opposition leaders and the inordinate ambition of Atiku Abubakar, who at the age of 81 still seeks the presidency, poses a significant risk,” he stated.

 

Isiguzoro cited Tinubu’s recent political gestures toward the Southeast — including the appointment of Senator Dave Umahi as Minister of Works and increased federal allocations for infrastructure — as signs of goodwill that should not be ignored.

 

He maintained that aligning with Tinubu would open doors for greater regional development and inclusion in national governance.

 

“We urge Mr. Obi to engage in deep reflection and relinquish his presidential ambitions in favour of advocating for the pressing needs of the Southeast,” Isiguzoro said.

 

He added that a strategic alliance between the Southeast and the Tinubu administration could improve the region’s chances in future political contests.

 

As of the time of filing this report, Peter Obi and his supporters, popularly known as the Obidient movement, have not issued any official response to the appeal from the Ohanaeze faction.