2027: South-East can’t get presidency through hate speeches — Umahi

Rider: South-East CAN endorses Tinubu for second term By Jeff Agbodo, Abakaliki Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has urged the South-East to adopt strategic political engagement and avoid hate speeches, harassment and blackmail if the region hopes to produce Nigeria’s president in the future. Umahi said the region should support President Bola Tinubu to complete his second term, arguing that doing so would strengthen its prospects of securing the presidency when power next rotates to the South.

He spoke while addressing members of the Abakaliki Urban Community, comprising Hausa, Yoruba and other non-indigene communities, including people from Anambra, Enugu, Imo and Abia states, living in Ebonyi State capital. The minister called for support for Tinubu’s re-election, Governor Francis Nwifuru and all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

He argued that the South-East should not settle for a four-year presidential tenure, which he attributed to the proposal by the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, but should work towards securing a full eight-year term when it becomes the region’s turn. Umahi said the region could not achieve its political ambition through attacks on those with differing political views.

“Igbo man needs wisdom, not sentiments. Igbo man should not allow people to be dishing hate speeches in the social media on their behalf,” he said. He argued that the South-East had benefited from the Tinubu administration, citing federal road projects and what he described as increased representation of the region in key government positions. According to him, the region’s traders now clear their goods with greater ease, while roads are being rehabilitated to support economic activities.

Umahi also cited the appointment of an Igbo naval chief in the previous round of service chiefs’ appointments and the current representation of the region in government as evidence of what he described as its integration into the federal administration. He said: “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.” The minister questioned the basis for committing the South-East to a four-year presidential arrangement without the consent of leaders across the region. He also criticised attacks on people who do not support Obi, insisting that political disagreements should not degenerate into harassment and blackmail.

“We cannot produce President through blackmail, harassment, attacks on ourselves. How can one person sign agreement to rule for only four years without the consent of entire South-East leaders?” he asked. Umahi further claimed that Anambra State had benefited from federal infrastructure projects under Tinubu, saying several roads had been awarded for construction in the state.

He also urged the people of Ebonyi to support Nwifuru and other APC candidates, saying such support would promote peace and development. South-East CAN endorses Tinubu In a related development, Umahi addressed leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the South-East at the Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, where he appealed to religious leaders to avoid regional and religious considerations in political engagement.

He urged them to promote what he described as the achievements of Tinubu and South-East governors, arguing that the region needed to build alliances with other parts of the country to advance its political interests. The minister listed the proposed Trans-Sahara Highway and a superhighway linking Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory as some of the infrastructure projects associated with the Tinubu administration.

He charged the religious leaders to encourage support for the President and the governors in the region, saying their development efforts should be recognised. Leaders of CAN in the South-East who spoke at the event endorsed Tinubu for a second term.