The Apex Igbo Sociocultural Organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has charged President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to eschew distractions, embrace prudent governance, and focus unwaveringly on delivering the dividends of democracy to all Nigerians.
According to the Social-cultural organisation, the future of Nigeria depends not on political theatrics but on the resolute commitment to service, development, and unity.
The Deputy President-General Ohanaeze Ndigbo Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro disclosed this in a statement he signed and made available to journalists on Thursday.
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The statement reads, “The Apex Igbo Sociocultural Organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, finds it imperative to address, with unflinching candor and utmost sincerity, the prevailing political dynamics as Nigeria approaches the pivotal 2027 general elections. It is our solemn duty to convey an unvarnished truth to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, regarding the evolving electoral landscape and the attendant challenges confronting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The demise of former President Muhammadu Buhari, while undeniably a significant political event, resulting in the potential loss of approximately twelve million votes, should not be misconstrued as an insurmountable threat to the APC’s hold on power. Rather, it is a challenge that demands strategic governance and unwavering focus. We caution the Presidency against the perilous temptation to abandon the sacred responsibilities of governance in favour of the quagmire of partisan politicking in 2025.
“The opposition coalition, comprising the All Progressives Congress’s formidable adversaries—former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra Governor Peter Obi, former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, among others—is meticulously positioning itself to capitalise on the political vacuum left in the North by the late President Buhari. Their calculated stratagem aims to lure President Tinubu into a distracting political contest, thereby diverting his administration’s attention from the paramount task of delivering democratic dividends to the Nigerian populace.
“It is our resolute position that Nigerians do not desire an octogenarian presidency by 2027. At seventy-eight years of age, Atiku Abubakar does not constitute a credible threat to President Tinubu’s re-election bid. Conversely, the political ascendancy of Mr. Peter Obi presents a formidable challenge that the Presidency must address with renewed vigor and strategic recalibration. Failure to adapt and respond effectively to the pressing needs of the nation—particularly in the realms of economic policy reform, national restructuring, infrastructural development, security enhancement, and food security—will severely undermine President Tinubu’s prospects.
“The Federal Government must urgently overhaul its policy framework, prioritizing these critical sectors to restore public confidence and foster sustainable national development. Pursuit of the late President Buhari’s erstwhile support base, while politically tempting, constitutes a perilous booby trap meticulously laid by the opposition coalition to distract the Presidency from its primary mandate of governance and service delivery.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo unequivocally asserts that the principal political challenge confronting the Presidency is not Atiku Abubakar’s ambition, which is widely perceived as untenable, but rather the burgeoning influence and political ambition of Peter Obi. The Presidency’s disproportionate focus on Mr. Obi, to the detriment of governance, is both unwarranted and counterproductive. With twenty months remaining before the 2027 elections, the administration has ample opportunity to consolidate its achievements and present a compelling record of verified projects and policies that tangibly improve the lives of Nigerians.
“Furthermore, Ohanaeze Ndigbo reiterates the urgent need for the Federal Government to address longstanding Igbo aspirations, including the establishment of the sixth Southeast state, the reopening of the Calabar seaports, the completion of all ongoing federal road projects, the modernization of railway infrastructure through the replacement of single gauge lines with standard gauge railways, and the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu. The Igbo nation remains steadfast in its support for the Federal Government, contingent upon meaningful progress in these critical areas.
“We also express profound bewilderment at the apparent unease within the Presidency concerning Peter Obi’s political influence, especially given that Senator Dave Umahi, a distinguished and accomplished Governor of Ebonyi State and Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, serves in President Tinubu’s cabinet. The exemplary records of Senator Umahi, which surpass those of Peter Obi in both governance and regional leadership, should reassure the Presidency rather than foment anxiety.“
