Minister of Works and former Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has launched a fresh criticism of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, declaring that he cannot be regarded as the South-East’s best presidential candidate and challenging the growing perception that the region’s political aspirations should revolve around a single individual.
Umahi, who spoke during an interview with ARISE News on Friday, also defended prominent South-East politicians supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election ambition in 2027, insisting that political loyalty to the region should not be measured by support for Obi.
The minister argued that the South-East possessed several qualified political figures capable of seeking Nigeria’s highest office, maintaining that Obi’s performance in the 2023 presidential election did not automatically make him the region’s strongest political option.
“Peter Obi is not the best of our finest in South East. He’s not the best, he can never be the best,” Umahi declared.
His remarks add another dimension to the political disagreements within the South-East ahead of the 2027 general election, particularly over the region’s presidential aspirations, the influence of established political leaders and the growing debate over support for Tinubu.
Umahi accused Obi of failing to undertake sufficient consultations with governors and influential political stakeholders in the region before contesting the 2023 presidential election.
According to him, anyone seeking to pursue a presidential ambition associated with the expectations of the South-East must recognise the importance of political engagement and consensus-building.
“You cannot play politics in South East without consulting people like us,” he said.
The former Ebonyi governor maintained that he would have consulted regional political leaders if he had pursued a similar ambition.
“If I were contesting, I would have consulted,” he added.
Umahi argued that the presidency required more than an individual’s popularity, stressing the importance of political negotiations and cooperation across different parts of the federation.
His position reflects a broader disagreement over how the South-East should approach its longstanding aspiration to produce another Nigerian president.
While Obi’s supporters point to his electoral performance and national following, Umahi maintained that regional political ambitions should not be tied exclusively to one politician.
Taking his argument further, the minister questioned why Anambra State should be regarded as the automatic beneficiary if the presidency were to be zoned to the South-East.
He recalled that Nigeria’s first President, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, hailed from the territory now constituting Anambra State, contending that other states in the geopolitical zone also deserved consideration.
Umahi specifically identified Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and Imo as states whose political leaders should not be excluded from future discussions about producing a president from the region.
His remarks brought the issue of fairness among the five South-East states into the debate, beyond the question of Obi’s individual presidential ambition.
The minister’s position also underscored his belief that the region’s political future should emerge from wider consultation rather than an automatic endorsement of any particular aspirant.
Umahi also rejected criticisms directed at South-East political figures who have chosen to support President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He argued that backing a candidate from another geopolitical zone should not be interpreted as abandoning the political interests of the Igbo people.
According to him, the South-East’s prospects of producing a future president depend significantly on its ability to negotiate and build political relationships with other regions.
The minister maintained that such alliances were essential in Nigeria’s political system, where presidential candidates must seek support beyond their immediate ethnic or regional constituencies.
His comments come amid continuing debate over the political direction of the South-East, following Obi’s strong electoral performance in the region during the 2023 presidential election.
Obi, who contested that election on the platform of the Labour Party, won all five South-East states, demonstrating substantial support in his home geopolitical zone.
However, Umahi has repeatedly argued that the political circumstances surrounding the 2023 election should not be treated as a permanent indication of the region’s future voting pattern.
In an October 4 interview on Channels Television, the minister attributed the South-East’s overwhelming support for Obi in 2023 partly to grievances over perceived marginalisation under the previous administration.
He argued that appointments and infrastructure projects undertaken by the Tinubu administration had changed the political circumstances in the region, although the electoral implications of those developments remain to be tested.
Friday’s remarks were not the first time Umahi had publicly challenged Obi’s political standing.
In September, during an event in Benin City, Edo State, the minister rejected suggestions that the former Anambra governor was politically superior to him.
He questioned the basis for such comparisons, citing their respective backgrounds, intellectual capacities, records in public office and contributions to the South-East.
Umahi also maintained at the time that although the South-East would eventually produce another Nigerian president, the immediate political priority, in his view, was Tinubu’s re-election.
The earlier remarks had already drawn attention to differences between the minister and Obi’s supporters over the region’s political future.
The latest intervention places renewed emphasis on the question of who speaks for the South-East politically and whether the region’s presidential ambitions should be pursued through a consensus candidate, competing political platforms or alliances with other geopolitical zones.
For the All Progressives Congress, the debate is particularly significant as the party seeks to expand its support in a region where Obi demonstrated considerable electoral strength in 2023.
For Obi and his supporters, it also highlights the challenge of translating strong regional support into wider national political partnerships.
Beyond the disagreement between the two former governors, the controversy raises questions about political representation, regional consensus and the role of party affiliations in shaping the South-East’s presidential ambitions.
As preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, Umahi’s latest remarks have brought those competing political approaches into sharper focus. Whether the South-East ultimately rallies behind a candidate from the region or builds alliances around another presidential contender will depend on the decisions of its political parties, stakeholders and, ultimately, the voters themselves.
