Ohanaeze Ndigbo has called on Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last election, for the sake of equity, national integration and peace, to drop his 2027 presidential ambition and support President Bola Tinubu’s second term bid.
Mr. Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the factional deputy president of Ohanaeze in a statement, reminding Obi that wresting power from President Tinubu would be challenging, adding that only the South-East cannot make him president.
He reiterated that the present political climate, marked by a lack of unity among opposition leaders and the inordinate ambition of Atiku Abubakar – who, at the age of 81, seeks the presidency – poses a significant risk.
He further noted that Obi and Atiku would share the opposition vote, which will ultimately pave the way for Tinubu’s re-election, and should the scenario unfold, the repercussions would undoubtedly fall heavily upon the South-East, pleading with Obi to support Tinubu’s second bid.
The statement reads: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo fully acknowledges Obi’s constitutional right to contest the presidency in 2027. However, we must confront the stark reality that, despite his considerable social media following, the potential for betrayal looms large.
“Such betrayal could yield dire consequences, with the Igbo people once again bearing the repercussions, as we did in the elections of 2019 and 2023.
“In 2019, Mr. Obi was the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, and the joint ticket ultimately cost the South-East an additional sixth state, a promise made by former President Muhammadu Buhari to Igbo leaders contingent upon their support.
“This candid truth may be a bitter pill for Mr. Obi to swallow, yet it is essential for him to engage in a profound reassessment of his ambitions. We implore him to relinquish his presidential aspirations in favour of negotiating for the pressing needs of the Southeast.
“It is in the best interest of our region that Mr. Obi summoned his righteous resolve to support President Tinubu’s reelection campaign in 2027, particularly in light of the infrastructural developments spearheaded by Umahi and the collective bargaining efforts of the Southeast.”