Minister of Works, David Umahi, has defended South-East political leaders backing President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 election, arguing that the region’s route to the presidency depends on wider political alliances rather than support for one candidate.
Umahi made the remarks during an interview with ARISE News on Friday, where he criticised Peter Obi’s approach to political consultations ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
“Peter Obi is not the best of our finest in South-East. He’s not the best, he can never be the best,” the former Ebonyi State governor said.
Umahi argued that anyone seeking to represent the South-East in a presidential contest should consult governors and other political stakeholders in the region before pursuing the ambition.
“You cannot play politics in South-East without consulting people like us,” he said, adding that he would have consulted regional leaders if he had sought the presidency.
The minister maintained that the region had other qualified figures who could aspire to the nation’s highest office, disputing the suggestion that Obi should automatically be regarded as its strongest candidate because of his performance in the 2023 election.
He also questioned the argument that Anambra State should automatically produce a presidential candidate if the South-East gets the opportunity to lead Nigeria.
Umahi noted that Nigeria’s first President, Nnamdi Azikiwe, came from the area now known as Anambra State, and said Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and Imo should also be considered in future discussions about the region’s presidential ambitions.
He rejected criticism of South-East politicians supporting Tinubu, arguing that their political choices should not be interpreted as a betrayal of the region.
According to Umahi, the South-East must negotiate and build alliances with other parts of the country to improve its chances of producing a president, rather than treating support for a particular candidate as a test of regional loyalty.
In September, Umahi had also challenged comparisons between himself and Obi, saying he could not identify any area in which the former Anambra governor was superior to him.
He had maintained that the South-East would eventually produce Nigeria’s president but added that “it is not yet our turn.”
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