2027: S/East Group Counters Umahi On ‘Don’t-Vote-Obi’ Directive

The people of the South-East Region of Nigeria should ignore calls by the Minister of Works, Engr Dave Umahi, urging them to vote solely for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Umahi had instructed south-easterners not to waste their votes on the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Mr Peter Obi.

Reacting, the Eastern Union described such calls as undemocratic, and called on the people of the region to cast their votes wisely. EU’s National President, Hon Charles Anike, told THE WHISTLER in Enugu on Monday that Osun electorate had demonstrated that votes can count be voting and ensuring that votes were counted during the off-cycle governorship election where incumbent Gov Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party was re-elected.

EU therefore called on the people of the region not to succumb “to any form of external or internal threats or intimidation and any other forms of inducement by any group or individuals”. Anike urged the residents of the region to exercise their civic duties by voting candidates they consider capable of moving Nigeria forward.

According to him, “A New Nigeria is possible. We should borrow a leaf from the courageous and sacrificial postures of Osun electorate. They did not just cast their votes and went away, but they also waited patiently and defended their votes until their victory was declared. Those rare courage and resilience frustrated the imported election riggers.”

Anike charged the Independent Electoral Commission to remain impartial to reclaim the confidence of the Nigerian masses in the country’s electoral process. He said, “We are praying that INEC won’t go back to their old ways of declaring elections inconclusive just to suppress people’s votes. We also commend security agents for their roles in the Osun people’s victory, although to some extent, they failed in the discharge of their duties by allowing the influx and free movements of imported political thugs. Allegations abound of police and DSS releasing arrested political thugs because of orders from the above. There must not be any sacred cow and nobody should be above the law, otherwise the 2027 election will not end well.”

He said the direct from Minister Umahi was an affront to democracy and freedom of association as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Our correspondent reports that Engr Umahi gave the directive in Okigwe, Imo State, when he inspected the 65 kilometre Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe road project being executed by the federal government.

He had said, “The South-East must vote for President Tinubu in 2027. The South-East must know that our votes alone cannot make our brother, Peter Obi, president of Nigeria. We have to be strategic. Obi is my friend and my colleague. We have been governors. But I boldly say: do not vote for Peter Obi; vote for Tinubu because of what he is doing and will continue to do for us after 2027.”