Former Ebonyi State Governor and Minister of Works, David Umahi, has declared that the South-East has no presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, dismissing the presidential ambition of the Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate, Peter Obi.

Umahi described Obi as “nobody”, insisting that the former Anambra State governor was not better than prominent South-East politicians, including himself, whom he described as the “Lion of the South-East”.

He also listed former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim; former Minister of Education, Sam Egwu; and former Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Chief Elias Mbam, among those he considered no less qualified than Obi.

He urged the people of the South-East to support President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, arguing that doing so would position the region to benefit politically when it was its turn to produce the President.

Umahi stated this in Abakaliki, the state capital, during a town hall meeting organised by the Directorate of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.

He urged religious and traditional rulers in the region to openly declare support for Tinubu rather than remain neutral.

Addressing the gathering, the minister said, “I want to tell our religious leaders and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), do not stay on the fence. I know when I was struggling to be Governor, CAN took a decision and said justice must prevail. CAN, don’t keep quiet; let us toe the path that must sustain our freedom.

“There is no way an Igbo man, after staying for 60 years, will want to be President for four years. There is nobody that can accept that. The North has not accepted to be President for four years. Somebody was telling me that Atiku’s son bought buses and donated to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and said this is a personal donation.

“Igbo man needs wisdom, not sentiments. Igbo man should not allow people to be dishing hate speeches on social media on their behalf. Today, our people in commerce, we clear our goods with ease. Today, our roads are being revived in the path of economic activities. Today, we can boldly say we have been integrated. The last time they were choosing service chiefs, it was the Naval Chief. This time, it is Chief of Air Staff, Minister of Works, other Ministers, SSAs, what else? When I say South-East have been fully integrated and included, I mean it.

“My mouth will not shut up because I am telling our people for a reference for tomorrow. We are supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to finish his remaining four years so that the South-East would have strategically supported another region. So that when it is our turn, we will not get this thing by hate speeches; they will not give to us by sentiments. If strategic leaders of the South-East say this, you will now insult them.

“You insult anybody who is not supporting Peter Obi. Anybody who is not supporting Peter Obi is a saboteur; you insult the person. Who is Peter Obi better than? Who is he better than? Is he better than Sam Egwu? Is he better than Elias Mbam? Is he better than the Lion of the South-East, myself? Is he better than Anyim Pius? Who is better than?

“So, I don’t want us to be deceiving ourselves. We don’t have any presidential candidate in the South-East. We have people who are vying; Ebonyi has a right to make a choice. Traditional fathers, do not stay on the fence; religious leaders, do not stay on the fence. Our people in the North do not; our people in the South-West, they do not. Guide our people, let them know what,” the minister stated.

Umahi, a former governor of Ebonyi State, said he would deliver 1.3 million votes for Tinubu and Governor Francis Nwifuru in the 2027 general elections.

He boasted that he would not sit back and allow another political party to produce the governor of the state, describing those who believed they could defeat Nwifuru as jokers.

He said, “We have 1.8 million registered voters in Ebonyi State. Let me tell you, if we are not donating 1.3 million votes for the President, for the Governor, we are doing ourselves a disservice.”