Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has expressed confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could win all five states in the South-East at the 2027 polls. He made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on Sunday. Umahi, a former governor of Ebonyi State, also stated that former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, does not pose a threat to President Bola Tinubu and the APC ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Umahi attributed Obi’s 2023 performance, where he won all five South-East states, partly to what he described as the marginalisation of the region under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. He noted that the region was not fairly treated by the past administration, citing the lack of service chiefs and major ministerial portfolios from the region.
However, Umahi argued that the situation had changed under Tinubu, pointing to the appointment of people from the South-East to senior positions in the Federal Government. He mentioned that he is the Minister of Works, a position the region had never held before, and that there are also Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Science and Industry from the region.
The minister also argued that the presence of other presidential candidates from the South-East could affect Obi’s chances in the 2027 election. He stated that there are about three or four other presidential candidates from the region contesting, including a woman, and therefore, Peter Obi is not a threat as far as he is concerned.
Umahi, however, said his assessment should not be interpreted as an attempt to underestimate the former Anambra governor. He expressed confidence that the Tinubu administration’s policies, appointments, and treatment of the South-East would help the APC regain support across the region.
Umahi also disclosed that efforts to create an additional state in the South-East are ongoing, describing the process as a “work in progress”. The South-East currently has five states, the lowest number among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The agitation for a sixth state has continued, with Anioma in Delta State proposed as one of the options.
The minister said the region is not seeking preferential treatment but wants what he described as equitable treatment. He cited the appointment of South-East indigenes to senior federal positions as evidence of what he described as the administration’s commitment to integrating the region, including the Naval Chief and the Air Force Chief.
Key points
- Peter Obi's 2023 performance in the South-East was partly due to the region's marginalisation under former President Muhammadu Buhari's administration.
- The presence of other presidential candidates from the South-East could affect Obi’s chances in the 2027 election.
- Efforts to create an additional state in the South-East are ongoing.
