The apex Igbo socio-cultural body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, alongside Southeast governors and federal ministers, has officially endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as their consensus candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
The endorsement was announced in a communiqué issued during the 2025 Igbo Day Celebration themed “IGBO EKUNIE – The Reawakening of the Igbo Spirit of Excellence and Enterprise.” The events were held across the seven Igbo-speaking states and concluded with a grand finale in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on September 29, 2025.
The communiqué, jointly signed by leading Igbo stakeholders including Prince Dr. Richard Ozobu, Chief Jackson Omenazu, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Professor Chibuikeya Achoakawa, Professor Mrs. Nneoma Ukpabi, Chief Chinenyeze, and Chief Alex Okemiri, emphasized the need for unity, reconciliation, and renewed political direction for the Southeast.
Ending the 73-Year Igbo-Yoruba Rivalry
Delegates declared the move a historic end to the 73-year Igbo-Yoruba political rivalry, which dates back to the 1952 crisis in the Western Region that prevented Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe from becoming Premier. The communiqué urged a fresh alliance with the Yoruba nation, stressing that shared investments and interests in Lagos and the Southwest demand collaboration, not division.
Special tributes were also paid to Yoruba statesman Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who in 1979 chose Igbo politician Chief Philip Umeadi as his running mate, setting an example of cross-ethnic partnership.
Support for Tinubu’s Administration
Ohanaeze and Southeast leaders commended President Tinubu’s efforts to integrate Nigeria into the BRICS economic bloc, address insecurity in the Southeast, and initiate critical infrastructure projects. They particularly applauded the ₦5 trillion road development initiative across the Southeast and praised Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, for his outstanding infrastructural contributions.
The communiqué noted that Tinubu remains the first Nigerian leader to prioritize the Southeast despite the region’s rejection of his candidacy in the 2023 elections.
Key Resolutions Adopted
The communiqué outlined several resolutions, including:
- Full Support for Tinubu’s Eight-Year Tenure (2023–2031): Southeast leaders pledged to suspend opposition support and back President Tinubu for two terms.
- Strategic Development Demands: Calls for urgent funding of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Standard Gauge Railway, and the revival of abandoned projects like the Enugu Coal Mine, Azumiri Seaport dredging in Abia, and the Ivo Dam restoration.
- Cultural and Language Revival: A demand for Southeast governors to establish Igbo language research centers and make Igbo compulsory in schools.
- Security and Peace: Commendation of improved security in the Southeast following the end of the Monday Sit-at-Home order, with continued support for federal police efforts.
The event drew participation from dignitaries across Nigeria and the Igbo diaspora worldwide, symbolizing a renewed sense of unity, reconciliation, and cultural pride.
With this decision, the Southeast has formally aligned with President Tinubu’s leadership, signaling what many observers see as a historic political shift ahead of the 2027 general elections.
