Minister of Works David Umahi has said Peter Obi cannot be regarded as the South-East’s best presidential candidate, accusing the former Anambra State governor of failing to consult regional political leaders before pursuing his presidential ambition in 2023.
Umahi made the remarks during an interview with ARISE News on Friday, October 23, while defending South-East politicians 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 the South-East had other qualified political figures capable of contesting the presidency, insisting that anyone seeking to represent the region’s interests should first engage governors and other influential stakeholders.
“You cannot play politics in South-East without consulting people like us,” he said.
Umahi added that he would have consulted regional political leaders if he had decided to contest the presidency, arguing that an ambition presented as representing an entire region required broader consultation.
“If I were contesting, I would have consulted,” he said.
The minister also challenged the suggestion that Anambra State should automatically be favoured to produce a president whenever the opportunity arises for the South-East.
Referring to Nigeria’s first President, Nnamdi Azikiwe, who came from the area now known as Anambra State, Umahi argued that other states in the region should also be considered.
He specifically mentioned Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and Imo as states that should have opportunities in future discussions about the South-East’s presidential ambition.
Umahi maintained that the region’s prospects of producing a Nigerian president depended on political negotiations and alliances with other parts of the country rather than the automatic adoption of one candidate as its sole representative.
He also rejected accusations that South-East politicians supporting Tinubu were betraying the region by backing the president instead of Obi.
According to the minister, political differences over presidential candidates should not be interpreted as a lack of commitment to the South-East’s interests.
Umahi’s comments come amid political realignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with questions surrounding regional representation, political alliances and the South-East’s quest for the presidency featuring prominently in the debate.
In September, Umahi also challenged comparisons between himself and Obi, saying he could not identify an area in which the former Anambra governor was superior to him.
The minister has maintained that the South-East will eventually produce Nigeria’s president but insisted that the region’s opportunity has not yet arrived, declaring that “it is not yet our turn.”
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