2027: Atiku should back Obi, Uzodinma can’t speak for Ndigbo — Eme Okoro

. Faults APC’s treatment of S’East, urges Igbo leaders to unite for Kanu’s release

By Steve Oko

UMUAHIA — Former Abia State Secretary to the Government, Dr Eme Okoro, has urged former Vice-President and the candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, for the 2027 presidential poll, Atiku Abubakar, to support Peter Obi’s presidential ambition in 2027, arguing that equity and political strategy demand that the South be allowed to retain the presidency beyond 2027.

Okoro, a former ally of Atiku and one of his key supporters in the South East, described Obi as Nigeria’s best presidential material at the moment, adding that the former Anambra State governor possesses the competence and capacity to lead the country.

He insisted that the quest for the presidency required strategic thinking rather than ethnic sentiments.

The elder statesman who spoke exclusively with Vanguard in Umuahia, urged Atiku to show political maturity and sagacity by supporting Obi to enable the South complete its turn before power “rotates back to the North in 2031.”

The former SSG also faulted what he described as the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s unfair treatment of the South-East, while challenging the region’s political leaders to rise above partisan interests and pursue issues affecting Ndigbo collectively.

He regretted that most of the key challenges of the South East had not been addressed by the APC -led federal government.

Okoro particularly decried the collapse of railway services across the South-East, lamenting that the zone had been left out of the federal government’s massive railway investments, despite billions of naira reportedly borrowed to revamp rail transportation in other parts of the country.

He described the situation as another glaring evidence of what he considered the APC-led Federal Government’s marginalisation of the South-East, questioning why a region whose support the ruling party would need in the 2027 elections should continue to suffer such infrastructural neglect.

The former SSG argued that the APC’s treatment of the South-East had done little to inspire confidence that the ruling party genuinely valued the region’s electoral support, warning that political loyalty should not be expected where equity, inclusion and tangible development remained elusive.

On the continued detention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, Okoro said South-East governors and Ohanaeze Ndigbo must close ranks and mount a coordinated effort to secure his release.

He criticised the region’s political leadership for failing to demonstrate the unity and determination needed to address the matter, insisting that Kanu’s case should transcend party affiliations.

Okoro also dismissed claims that Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma could speak for the entire Igbo nation on critical political questions, arguing that no individual political leader should arrogate to himself the authority to determine the collective position of Ndigbo.

He maintained that the South-East must reassess its political calculations and demand fairness in the Nigerian federation rather than allow partisan considerations to undermine its interests.

The former SSG’s position comes amid growing political manoeuvres ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with questions of opposition unity, regional interests and the South-East’s place in the Nigerian political equation taking centre stage.

Okoro said South East geopolitical zone could achieve more politically if speak with one voice and jettison selfish interests.

The octogenarian cautioned South East political elite against sacrificing the interest of the zone on the altars of their individual political ambitions.