By Joel Arinze
A pro-Tinubu political group has said it is mobilising Southeast elder statesmen to pressure Peter Obi into abandoning his 2027 presidential ambition and endorsing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election.
The group argued that doing so would secure a future presidency for the Igbo.
The Southeast chapter of the Renewed Hope for Greater Nigeria (RHGN) disclosed the strategy on Saturday in Owerri, revealing plans to approach Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership, former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, and retired Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe to lead a delegation to the former Anambra governor.
RHGN Southeast leader, Mazi Franklin Ngoforo, said the intervention is not about diminishing Obi’s political profile but about recalibrating Igbo political strategy for long-term gain.
“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 nearest future,” Ngoforo told journalists after the group’s leadership meeting in Owerri.
Citing reasons for the group’s move, Ngoforo pointed to internal disputes within the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) over candidate selection in the Southeast, arguing that the crisis has significantly weakened the political infrastructure Obi would need to run a viable presidential campaign.
“The crisis in the NDC over candidate selection in the Southeast has created structural weaknesses. These are not issues that can be resolved in time for 2027,” he said.
Ngoforo also revealed that consultations with northern political leaders had indicated that Obi’s reported commitment to serving only one term would not be enough to secure the region’s support. He argued that succession politics in Nigeria are driven by power calculations and political security, not promises of tenure.
“Northern leaders are not persuaded by tenure pledges. What matters is the political architecture and who controls it. Obi’s one-term promise, while noble, does not address the deeper concerns of northern political elites,” Ngoforo stated.
The RHGN leader further framed the appeal as part of a regional balancing strategy. He noted that the South-South has already produced a president in Goodluck Jonathan, while the Southwest has produced Olusegun Obasanjo and now Tinubu.
With Tinubu constitutionally limited to a second and final term if re-elected, Ngoforo argued that the Southeast should support the Southwest now and build a compact that can deliver the presidency when power returns to the South.
“The presidency cannot be won by any zone acting alone. 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,” he explained.
The group also pointed to policy alignment between Obi and the Tinubu administration, specifically the removal of fuel subsidy. Ngoforo argued that if Obi agrees with the direction of major government policies, there is less reason to seek to displace the government.
“On the subsidy removal, Obi has expressed support for the policy direction. If there is fundamental agreement on key issues, then the rationale for opposition becomes questionable,” Ngoforo said.
Ngoforo appealed to Obi to consider stepping aside now, noting that he remains young enough to contest again under more favourable circumstances in the future.
“The issue is bigger than one election and bigger than one individual. Peter Obi is still relatively young. He can afford to wait. The question before Ndigbo should be how to turn today’s alliances into tomorrow’s presidency,” he said.
Ngoforo disclosed that engagement with Obi and the wider Igbo political establishment would begin in the coming days, with the group hoping that elder statesmen would persuade the former governor to see the bigger picture.
“We will approach Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Anyaoku, Commodore Ukiwe, and other respected Igbo leaders to lead this conversation. We believe they have the moral authority and respect to make Obi see reason,” he added.
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