Nigeria's Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has stated that Peter Obi's overwhelming victory in the South-East region during the 2023 presidential election was a result of the alleged marginalization of the region by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Umahi made these comments during an interview on Channels Television's Sunday Politics. He emphasized that the situation has changed under President Bola Tinubu, expressing confidence that the President will win all five states in the South-East in 2027.
According to Umahi, the South-East region was excluded from key positions under Buhari, leading to widespread discontent. He noted that the region did not receive any service chief appointments and was also neglected in major ministerial portfolios. This, he believes, contributed to the region's voting pattern in the 2023 presidential election, where Obi, then the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), won all five states in the region.
Umahi dismissed the threat of Obi, now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), to President Tinubu's re-election bid. He pointed out that Obi is not the only aspirant from the South-East region contesting for the presidency, mentioning that there are about three or four other presidential candidates from the region. Umahi expressed confidence in the APC's performance in office being its major selling point in the South-East.
The Minister of Works also highlighted the positive changes under President Tinubu, citing strategic appointments that have addressed the imbalance in the region. He mentioned that he is the first Minister of Works from the South-East region and that the region has also been represented in key ministries such as Foreign Affairs and Science and Industry.
Umahi's comments come as political parties and candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 presidential election. He emphasized that the APC's performance will be a major factor in the South-East region, expressing confidence that the President will win all five states in the region in 2027.
In the 2023 presidential election, Obi's victory in the South-East region was seen as a significant upset, with many attributing it to the region's feelings of marginalization under Buhari. Umahi's comments suggest that the region's perception of being excluded from key positions has changed under Tinubu.
As the 2027 presidential election approaches, Umahi's assessment of the South-East region's voting pattern and the APC's chances of winning the region's votes will be closely watched. The region's response to Tinubu's administration and the performance of the APC will likely play a significant role in shaping the outcome of the election.
Key points
- - Peter Obi won all five states in the South-East region in the 2023 presidential election. - Umahi attributes Obi's victory to the marginalization of the South-East region under Buhari. - Umahi expresses confidence that President Tinubu will win all five states in the South-East region in 2027.
