Minister of Works David Umahi has declared that Peter Obi is not the best presidential candidate the South-East can produce.
The minister also accused the former Anambra State governor of failing to consult influential political leaders in the region before pursuing his presidential ambition.
Umahi made the remarks during an interview with ARISE Television on Friday, as political alignments ahead of the 2027 general election gather momentum.
‘Peter Obi is not the best of our finest in the South-East. He’s not the best; he can never be the best,’ the minister said, insisting that the region has other qualified political figures capable of aspiring to Nigeria’s highest political office.
The former Ebonyi State governor argued that anyone seeking to emerge as the political standard-bearer of the South-East must engage governors and other influential stakeholders rather than pursue an ambition that carries the expectations of an entire region without adequate consultation.
‘You cannot play politics in the South East without consulting people like us,’ he said.
Umahi added that if he were seeking the presidency, he would first consult widely with political leaders before presenting himself as a candidate.
‘If I were contesting, I would have consulted,’ he said.
His remarks have brought the question of political representation, regional consensus and the choice of a presidential candidate from the South-East into sharper focus ahead of the 2027 election.
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, emerged as a formidable opposition figure after winning all five states in the South-East. His performance, which also secured him substantial support outside the region, helped establish a political movement that remains influential in national electoral discussions.
However, Umahi’s position reflects the growing disagreement among political leaders from the region over whether Obi should automatically be regarded as its preferred presidential candidate.
The minister also challenged the suggestion that the South-East’s next presidential candidate should necessarily come from Anambra State, Obi’s home state.
He argued that other states in the region should have the opportunity to produce a candidate, pointing to Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and Imo as states whose political leaders could also aspire to the presidency.
Umahi’s argument introduces another dimension to the debate over regional representation: whether the South-East should rally behind the candidate with the strongest electoral appeal or seek a broader political understanding among its leaders over who should represent the zone.
The debate comes against the background of the South-East’s longstanding agitation for greater representation in the country’s highest political office. The region has five states, fewer than any other geopolitical zone, and its political leaders have frequently disagreed over the most effective strategy for securing the presidency.
For Obi’s supporters, his performance in 2023 demonstrated that he could mobilise voters across regional boundaries and challenge the established political order. They regard his electoral showing as evidence of his national appeal rather than merely a product of regional sentiment.
Umahi, however, maintained that Obi’s electoral performance should not automatically translate into an unquestioned claim to the South-East’s political leadership.
His criticism also raises questions about the relationship between popular support and elite political consensus in Nigeria’s electoral system.
While a candidate may enjoy considerable grassroots enthusiasm, securing the support of influential political actors can be important in building alliances, mobilising resources and broadening electoral reach. Yet, the extent to which consultations among political elites determine voter preferences remains a subject of political debate.
Umahi’s intervention is particularly significant because he is not only a former governor of Ebonyi State but also a senior member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He has repeatedly defended Tinubu’s prospects in the South-East, expressing confidence that the ruling party can improve its electoral performance in the region in 2027.
The minister has attributed the region’s overwhelming support for Obi in 2023 partly to dissatisfaction with what he described as its marginalisation under the previous administration.
According to Umahi, the situation has changed under Tinubu, with the appointment of South-East politicians to important federal positions and the administration’s infrastructure commitments providing reasons for the region to reconsider its political choices.
He has consequently argued that the South-East should support Tinubu’s re-election bid rather than assume that Obi remains its only viable presidential option.
The position places Umahi among the prominent South-East political figures seeking to weaken the perception that the region’s electoral future must revolve around Obi.
Nevertheless, whether the minister’s assessment reflects the wider mood of voters in the region remains uncertain. Obi’s 2023 performance demonstrated his ability to attract substantial support, but reproducing that result in 2027 will depend on several factors, including party organisation, political alliances, voter mobilisation and the broader national contest.
The debate over the region’s preferred candidate is also complicated by the absence of a universally accepted formula for determining who should represent it in the presidential race.
While some political leaders favour consultation and consensus among established stakeholders, Obi’s supporters are likely to argue that the candidate’s popularity and electoral record should carry significant weight in deciding who has the strongest claim to the ticket.
Umahi’s remarks therefore go beyond a personal assessment of Obi’s suitability for the presidency. They expose a deeper disagreement over political strategy within the South-East: whether the region should consolidate around a candidate who has already demonstrated substantial electoral appeal or pursue a wider agreement among its political leaders.
With the 2027 election approaching, that disagreement could influence the region’s relationship with the major political parties and determine the extent to which its leaders can agree on a common political direction.
For now, Umahi has made his position clear: Obi should not be regarded as the South-East’s automatic or best choice for the presidency, and any claim to represent the region must contend with the views of other political leaders and the interests of the wider zone.