The Ndigbo for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Forum, a group supporting President Bola Tinubu, has stated that Tinubu can challenge Peter Obi's stronghold in the South-East region in the 2027 presidential election. However, the group warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against assuming that political appointments, endorsements, and rallies would automatically translate into votes. According to the group, the South-East region is not permanently aligned with any political party or presidential candidate.
The group cited the 2003 presidential election, where former President Olusegun Obasanjo won substantial support across the region despite the candidacy of the late Igbo leader, Chukwuemeka Ojukwu. This, they argued, demonstrated that voters in the region could alter their political choices when broader political interests came into play. The forum's National Coordinator, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and Secretary-General, Ugwuoke Ugwuoke Jr., issued a statement obtained by The PUNCH, highlighting the 2003 result as evidence that Tinubu could defeat Obi in the Southeast in 2027.
The forum urged APC leaders to pay closer attention to the grievances and expectations of voters in the five South-East states, stressing that the party would need to rebuild trust through credible leadership, reconciliation, and sustained grassroots engagement. They noted that the APC's performance in the region in the 2015, 2019, and 2023 presidential elections should prompt a reassessment of its strategy rather than assurances from political officeholders about the party's popularity.
The group warned that relying on misleading reports of the APC's strength could create a "dangerous disconnect" between Tinubu and voters in the region. They emphasized that Tinubu needed to address longstanding grievances among Ndigbo, particularly concerns linked to policies implemented under former President Muhammadu Buhari, which many Igbo citizens regarded as discriminatory or exclusionary.
The forum demanded greater infrastructure development, wider economic opportunities, equitable political representation, and sustained engagement between the Federal Government and Igbo leaders and communities. They also urged Tinubu to assess the actual strength of the APC in the South-East independently of assurances from political officeholders and to build a campaign structure around direct engagement with voters.
The group proposed a data-driven strategy for expanding Tinubu's support in the region, including grassroots organisation, electoral data, and measurable political engagement across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states. They acknowledged that the region remained a difficult political terrain for the APC but stressed that engagement rather than assumptions about voter loyalty was key to expanding support.
The Ndigbo for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Forum stated that its support for Tinubu's re-election was based on its belief that sustained engagement with the Federal Government could advance the interests of Ndigbo within a united Nigeria. The group will continue to promote political engagement between Tinubu and communities in the South-East as the 2027 election approaches.
Key points
- The Ndigbo for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Forum believes Tinubu can challenge Peter Obi's stronghold in the South-East region in the 2027 presidential election.
- The group warned the APC against relying on political appointments, endorsements, and rallies to measure its strength in the region.
- The forum urged Tinubu to address longstanding grievances among Ndigbo and promote inclusive governance, fairness, and visible development.
