David Umahi says Peter Obi cannot be regarded as the South-East’s best presidential candidate, urging regional consultation and wider political alliances
Minister of Works David Umahi has said former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi cannot be regarded as the South-East’s best presidential candidate, arguing that political aspirants from the region should consult key stakeholders before seeking the nation’s highest office.
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Umahi made the remarks during an interview with ARISE News on Friday, October 23, 2026, while defending South-East political leaders supporting President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“Peter Obi is not the best of our finest in South East. He’s not the best, he can never be the best,” the minister said.
The former Ebonyi State governor argued that aspiring presidential candidates from the region should engage governors and other influential political figures before pursuing their ambitions.
“You cannot play politics in South East without consulting people like us,” he said.
Umahi added that he would have consulted political leaders from the region had he decided to contest the presidency, stressing that an ambition presented as representing the South-East should involve wider discussions among its stakeholders.
He also challenged the suggestion that Obi should automatically be considered the region’s leading presidential option because of his performance in the 2023 election.
The minister questioned the argument that Anambra State should automatically produce a presidential candidate if the South-East gets an opportunity to lead Nigeria.
He referenced Nigeria’s first President, Nnamdi Azikiwe, who was from the area now known as Anambra State, and argued that other states in the region should also be considered.
Umahi listed Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and Imo among the states that should have opportunities in future discussions about the region’s presidential ambitions.
He maintained that the South-East’s prospects of producing a president depended on political negotiations and alliances with other parts of the country, rather than treating support for a particular candidate as a test of regional loyalty.
The minister also rejected criticism of South-East politicians backing Tinubu, arguing that their political choices should not automatically be interpreted as a betrayal of the region.
The comments follow Umahi’s earlier remarks in September, when he challenged comparisons between himself and Obi during an appearance in Benin City.
At the time, the minister said he could not identify an area in which the former Anambra governor was superior to him.
Umahi also expressed confidence that the South-East would eventually produce Nigeria’s president, while maintaining that the region’s opportunity had not yet arrived.
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His latest comments come amid political realignments and discussions over regional representation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
