A senior government official has publicly blocked the South-East’s ambition to produce Nigeria’s president in 2027. The Minister of Works, David Umahi, declared it is not the region’s turn, urging them to support President Bola Tinubu to complete two terms in office.
Umahi stated that since Tinubu is from the South, his eight-year tenure fulfills the Southern region’s claim to the presidency. He argued that the South-East must now be patient and wait until 2031 before making its own bid for the top job.
The Minister pointed to what he called a principle of fairness. He said that after Tinubu’s tenure, the race should be open to zones like the South-East and North-East, which have never produced a president before.
Umahi admitted that the South-East has suffered from political neglect in the past. He confirmed this unfair treatment made it difficult for the ruling party to win votes in the region during the last election.
Despite this history, Umahi praised President Tinubu’s current leadership as fair to all. He defended the government’s record by stating that his own powerful position as Works Minister is a major appointment for the South-East.
This announcement sets the stage for future political battles, effectively putting the South-East’s presidential hopes on hold for the next seven years. It immediately shuts down growing discussions about a 2027 candidate from the region.
