David Umahi says Peter Obi cannot claim to be the South-East’s best presidential candidate, citing political consultation and regional alliances
Minister of Works David Umahi has rejected the suggestion that Peter Obi is the South-East’s strongest presidential candidate, arguing that political leaders from the region should be consulted before anyone seeks to represent its interests nationally.
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Umahi made the remarks during an interview with ARISE News on Friday, while defending South-East politicians who support 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,” Umahi said.
The former Ebonyi State governor argued that Obi did not adequately consult political leaders in the region before pursuing his presidential ambition in 2023.
According to Umahi, anyone seeking to represent the South-East at the highest level of government should engage governors and other influential political stakeholders rather than pursue the ambition independently.
“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 sought the presidency himself.
“If I were contesting, I would have consulted,” he said.
The minister maintained that the South-East has several qualified political figures who could seek the presidency, challenging the idea that Obi should automatically be regarded as the region’s leading candidate because of his performance in the 2023 election.
He also questioned the argument that Anambra State should automatically produce a presidential candidate if the South-East secures an opportunity to lead Nigeria.
Umahi cited Nigeria’s first President, Nnamdi Azikiwe, who hailed from the area that now constitutes Anambra State, arguing that other states in the region should also have opportunities to produce a national leader.
He specifically identified Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and Imo as states that should be considered in discussions about the region’s future presidential ambitions.
His position places regional consultation, political negotiation and the distribution of opportunities among South-East states at the centre of the debate over who should represent the zone in a future presidential contest.
Umahi’s comments came amid political disagreements over South-East leaders who support Tinubu rather than Obi ahead of the 2027 election.
The minister rejected suggestions that such politicians were betraying the region because of their political affiliations.
He argued that the South-East’s prospects of producing a president depended on building alliances with other parts of Nigeria.
His remarks reflect a political argument over whether regional interests are best advanced by backing a prominent candidate from the zone or by negotiating with political forces elsewhere in the country.
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election, remains a prominent political figure from the South-East.
However, Umahi’s assessment of his suitability is a political opinion, rather than an established measure of who is the region’s strongest candidate.
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The debate is likely to remain part of discussions among political stakeholders as parties and potential candidates position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
