From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Southeast chapter of the Renewed Hope for Greater Nigeria (RHGN) said it will lobby leading Igbo statesmen to persuade former Anambra governor, Peter Obi, to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, join the APC, and back President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
RHGN Southeast leader, Mazi Franklin Ngoforo, made the disclosure at the weekend in Owerri, after a meeting of the group’s leadership. He said the aim is to deliver victory for President Tinubu across all polling units in the five Southeast states.
Ngoforo said RHGN will approach Ohanaeze Ndigbo, under Senator John Azuta Mbata and elder statesmen, including Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe. The group wants them to lead a delegation to Obi.
Ngoforo said the move is not to diminish Obi’s political profile, but to ask him to prioritise the long-term strategic interests of Ndigbo over an immediate presidential ticket.
“We believe 2027 should be looked at beyond personal ambition. A broader political bargain can put the Southeast in a stronger position to secure the presidency in the near future,” he said.
Citing reasons for the group’s move, Ngoforo said “there are disputes in the Nigerian Democratic Congress over candidate selection in the Southeast”. The crisis, he argued, has weakened the structure Obi would need for a presidential campaign.
Also, he noted that following consultations with northern political leaders, Obi’s reported pledge to serve only one term will not be enough to secure northern support. The group argued that succession politics are driven by power and political security calculations, not promises of tenure.
Ngoforo further noted that the South-South produced Goodluck Jonathan and the Southwest has produced Olusegun Obasanjo and now Tinubu. With Tinubu limited to this term if re-elected, he said the Southeast should support the Southwest now and build a compact that can deliver when power returns to the South.
“The presidency cannot be won by any zone acting alone,” Ngoforo said. “Supporting Tinubu’s second term could create a political debt that becomes useful when the Southeast makes its own claim. We should be in their debt, so that they owe in reciprocity.”
RHGN also pointed to policy alignment between Obi and the Tinubu administration, specifically the removal of fuel subsidies. Ngoforo argued that if Obi agrees with the direction of major government policies, there is less reason to seek to displace the government.
Ngoforo added that engagement with Obi and the wider Igbo political establishment will begin in the coming days. He appealed to Obi to consider stepping aside now, noting that he remains young and can contest again under more favorable circumstances.
“The issue is bigger than one election and bigger than one individual,” Ngoforo said. “The question before Ndigbo should be how to turn today’s alliances into tomorrow’s presidency.”
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