Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has declared that the Southeast must deliver at least 90% of its votes to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election if the region is serious about producing a Nigerian president in the future, Dockaysworld reports.
Speaking in a statement released recently, Umahi argued that strong political alignment with the presidency is important to the Southeast’s long-term quest for national leadership.
According to the former Ebonyi State governor, political power is earned through strategic alliances, not emotional appeals.
“We must not be deceived again,” Umahi said. “The President must have the votes of the Southeast up to 90% to cement this relationship. Enough of darkening counsel without knowledge in the Southeast. We must rise to educate our people.”
In the 2023 presidential election, Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, who hails from Anambra State, secured a sweeping victory across the Southeast. Obi polled over 95% of the votes in several states: 428,640 in Abia, 584,621 in Anambra, 352,904 in Ebonyi, 428,640 in Enugu, and 327,095 in Imo. In contrast, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) garnered only marginal support in the region, finishing a distant third or fourth in most states.
Obi is widely expected to run again in 2027.
Despite this, Umahi maintained that backing President Tinubu now is the more realistic path for the Southeast to eventually gain the presidency. He warned against political narratives that mislead the people into believing that a Southeast presidency is imminent without the necessary groundwork.
“If we want to be President, we must avoid the politics of hate, misinformation, and sentiments,” he said. “We must support other regions, and with God, one day, other regions will support us. Mr. President must be supported to complete his tenure of eight years, which all regions are benefitting from. One day, we will be number one—but not in 2027.”
He also commended Southeast governors for aligning with the federal government’s development goals and urged the public to support both the governors and President Tinubu in their bids for second terms.
