Ohanaeze splits as faction backs Tinubu's re-election, lauds South-East projects

The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has thrown its weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, stating that the administration had demonstrated unprecedented commitment to the South-East since the end of the Civil War 55 years ago.

The Deputy National President of an Ohanaeze faction, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, made this known in a statement issued in Abakaliki on Friday, August 8, 2025.

Highlighting Tinubu's impacts in the South-East, Isiguzoro noted that the Federal Government had earmarked N1.43tn for the construction and rehabilitation of federal roads in the region, describing the move as historic.

Additionally, he also credited the President for the creation of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) to drive economic growth and the approval of $3bn project to modernise the Eastern Economic Corridor by upgrading the Port Harcourt–Aba–Ebonyi–Enugu–Makurdi–Lafia–Bauchi–Maiduguri railway from narrow gauge to standard gauge.

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He mentioned the creation of the South-East Investment Company as another strategic step to attract and manage investments in the zone.

According to the statement, the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, had been tasked to relay the collective decision of Igbo stakeholders and South-East governors on the President's projects.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo affirms that President Tinubu is diligently addressing the critical challenges confronting the South-East and the broader Igbo nation," the statement partly read.

“There is a collective consensus to support his administration until 2031, with an emphatic endorsement for his re-election in 2027. This support comes with important demands to address the pressing needs of our region.”

Isiguzoro also stated that there have been “orchestrated media attacks” against Umahi by opposition elements in the region, condemning the actions and vowing not to tolerate such any longer.

“For the first time in over five decades, the Federal Government is making substantial investments in our region. It is in the interest of Ndigbo to align with President Tinubu’s administration to harness these projects and transform the Southeast into the new economic hub of West Africa,” he said.

The group said a new partnership was forging between the region and the present administration, which should be sustained for mutual benefit.

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“In light of these developments, we urge opposition parties and various Igbo groups to cease media hostilities against Senator Umahi. The emergence of fictitious groups allegedly sponsored to harass and intimidate him is misguided and counterproductive,” the statement continued.

Isiguzoro vowed that the South-East would resist any attempt to impair the ongoing progress, stressing the group's continued backing for Umahi and the Tinubu administration “as we collectively strive for a brighter future for Ndigbo.”