David Umahi, Minister of Works, has declared that the South-East geopolitical zone of the country has no presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections.

He dismissed Peter Obi’s presidential candidacy of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), saying Obi is a political figure who should not be considered the zone’s candidate.

Umahi, a former governor of Ebonyi State, said Obi is not superior to prominent political figures from the State, including himself, former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, former Minister of Education Sam Egwu and former Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Elias Mbam.

He urged the people of the South-East to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, arguing that the region needed to strategically support other regions to strengthen its chances of producing the president when it is its turn.

The minister spoke on Sunday in Abakaliki during a town hall meeting organised by the Directorate of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council.

Umahi also urged religious and traditional leaders in the region to openly support Tinubu, warning them against remaining neutral in the political process.

“I want to tell our religious leaders and the 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,” he said.

He argued that it would be difficult for Nigerians to accept a four-year presidential tenure for an Igbo candidate, noting that other regions had not accepted such an arrangement.

According to him, the South-East should approach the 2027 election with wisdom and strategic political calculations rather than sentiments and social media campaigns.

“An Igbo man needs wisdom, not sentiments. Igbo people should not allow people to be dishing out hate speeches on social media on their behalf,” he said.

Umahi further argued that the South-East had witnessed increased political inclusion under Tinubu’s administration, citing appointments into key positions, including the Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff and ministers.

He also listed the revival of major roads and improved ease of doing business as evidence of the Federal Government’s commitment to the region.

“Today, we can boldly say we have been integrated. The last time there were choices of service chiefs, it was the Naval Chief. This time, it is the Chief of Air Staff, Minister of Works, other ministers and Senior Special Assistants. What else?” he queried.

The minister said his support for Tinubu was based on the need for the South-East to build political alliances with other regions ahead of its future presidential ambition.

“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 it to us by sentiments,” he said.

Dismissing arguments that Obi should be regarded as the South-East’s preferred presidential candidate, Umahi asked his critics to compare the former Anambra governor with other prominent political figures from Ebonyi State.

“Who is Peter Obi 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? Whom is he better than?” he asked.

Umahi also declared that the APC would secure victory in Ebonyi State in the 2027 general election, boasting that he would not allow another political party to produce the state governor.

He described those nursing ambitions of defeating Governor Francis Nwifuru as jokers.

The minister further pledged that Ebonyi would deliver 1.3 million votes for Tinubu and Nwifuru in the next year’s general election.

“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 and the Governor, we are doing ourselves a disservice,” he said.