The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has declared that no Igbo politician will contest the presidency in 2027 against the incumbent, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The group said the collective resolve of the Southeast is to pursue the Nigerian presidency in 2035, describing it as the most realistic timeline for the region to actualize its ambition.
In a statement issued over the weekend in Abakaliki and signed by Deputy President General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and National Spokesman, Thompson Ohia, Ohanaeze explained that the decision followed consultations with Southeast political leaders, Imeobi, and Nzukoumunna.
“Following extensive consultations and dialogues, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in collaboration with Southeast political leaders, has reached a unanimous and resolute conclusion that Igbo people will not field presidential candidates in the 2027 elections against the incumbent President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the statement read.
The group emphasized that the Southeast would back Tinubu for re-election in 2027, projecting that “about 95% of Igbo votes will rally behind this cause.”
According to Ohanaeze, the most “practicable political vehicle” for an Igbo presidency lies within the All Progressives Congress (APC), if the zoning formula is altered. It added that former Ebonyi State Governor and current Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, stands out as the most suitable candidate for 2035, citing his record as governor, chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, senator, and minister.
The statement also listed other potential Igbo aspirants, including Peter Obi, Ifeanyi Okowa, Pius Anyim, Hope Uzodinma, Chukwuma Soludo, Rochas Okorocha, Orji Uzor Kalu, and Ken Nnamani, but argued that Umahi “distinctly emerges as the most qualified contender.”
“As we contemplate the future, it is anticipated that the rotation of power in Nigeria will revert to the Northern region subsequent to the conclusion of President Tinubu’s tenure in 2031. Consequently, the year 2035 represents a historic opportunity for the Southeast to produce the first Nigerian president of Igbo descent,” the group said.