Politics
Law against open grazing: Over 15,000 herds of cattle impounded in Benue- Ortom
Governor of Benue state Samuel Ortom has commended the Governors of Southern Nigeria for taking the bold step of enacting Open Grazing Prohibition Laws.
Ortom who spoke on Thursday at a one day lecture organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, FRCN Chapel said the law has helped them in Benue- State to expose the evil agenda of Fulani terrorists.
Speaking on the theme, “Emerging Security Situation in the South East; the Place of Good Governance,” Ortom noted with dismay, the speed with which the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu and the Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho, were arrested confirmed the fact that the Federal Government has the capacity to tackle insecurity with determination and commitment.
“We live in a country today where those who demand for equal rights and freedom to end the wave of injustice and marginalization are hurriedly declared terrorists, while real terrorists who invade communities and kill hundreds of innocent people are pampered and given government protection.
“The South East has been at the receiving end of such levels of injustice, impunity and marginalization. Let me make myself very clear. I am not a supporter of violence in any form, neither am I here to justify the violence being witnessed in parts of the East.
“This is why I condemn in strong terms, the destruction of Federal Government properties such as INEC offices, attacks on police stations, law enforcement operatives and even traditional rulers. Such attacks and destruction do not make a positive case for freedom fighters and campaigners for justice”. Ortom noted.
The governor said that dialogue remains the best option in any dispute.
“We must however admit that the ongoing agitations by youths of the South East are as a result of years of neglect, injustice, unfairness and lack of equity by those who have held this country to ransom”. Ortom said.
“There is no doubt that livestock production, as currently being carried out contributes significantly to food security and poverty reduction, but not without massive environmental implications like any other economic activity.
“In Nigeria, open grazing has been the practice of livestock production.
However, in recent times, livestock production system has led to unwarranted attacks on farmers in all parts of the country. This is due largely to population growth, infrastructural development and increased economic activities and above all, the Fulanisation agenda of Fulani nationalities worldwide who have vowed to make Nigeria their own country exclusively.
“Today, we live in the 21st century and open grazing is extinct in most countries of the world. In Europe, America, Asia and in many countries in Africa, pastoralism has long given way to ranching.
Ortom wondered how Nigeria can still be battling with the problem of open grazing of animals which had been solved over a century ago in other countries.
“According to the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA 2021 Report, India with a land mass of 1.2 square miles and with the highest number of cattle has about three hundred and five million, five hundred thousand (305,500,000) cattle, representing 30.52% of the world cattle population.
Brazil with a land mass of 3.3 million square miles has the second highest number of livestock of about two hundred and fifty-two million, seven hundred thousand (252,700,000) cattle representing 25.25%.
“China with a land mass of 3.7 square miles has about ninety-eight million, six hundred and twenty thousand (98,620,000) cattle which represents 9.55%.
“USA with a land mass of 3.6 square miles has ninety-three million, five hundred ninety-five thousand (93,595,000) cattle representing 9.35%. These are countries that have long abandoned open grazing and adopted ranching as the most sustainable and profitable form of livestock production.
To this, Ortom stated with dismay that there is no justification why Nigeria with just over twenty million cattle and land mass of 923,768 square kilometers should not adopt ranching.
“Across the country, open grazing has caused the invasion of farming communities by Fulani herdsmen leading to massive killings, maiming of people, raping of women, destruction of property, loss of livelihoods and displacement of persons.
“You might have heard that on 20th March, 2021, there was an assassination attempt on me by Fulani militia on my way back from the farm. It took the grace of God for me to survive the attack.
The group called Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM came out to take responsibility for the attack on me, saying that they narrowly missed their target owing to a technical hitch. Shockingly, the report of the investigation into the attack on me is yet to see the light of day”. Ortom said.
As at today, many States in Nigeria have been affected by the activities of marauding herdsmen and bandits alike.
“The decision by Governors of the Southern states to make laws to ban open grazing is therefore a step in the right direction which deserves to be supported by all good people from all the regions that make up the South.
“We in Benue State took our stand and rejected open grazing four years ago when I, in the presence of Benue stakeholders, on 22nd May, 2017 signed the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law.
“The law has since recorded tremendous success with more than 400 herders and cattle rustlers arrested with many already tried by competent courts of law and convicted.
More than fifteen thousand herds of cattle have been impounded. The law has helped us to expose the evil agenda of Fulani terrorists.
“In my lecture at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2019, I predicted that one day, ranching will be embraced and celebrated in this country the same way June 12 is now being celebrated. That prediction is gradually coming to pass earlier than anyone could have anticipated”. Ortom noted
The governor however, noted that the lopsided federal appointments, nepotism and other acts of sectionalism, particularly from 2015 to date, have divided Nigeria now more than at any other time in the country’s history.
“The Federal Character Principle as enshrined in the Constitution has been abused and abandoned by the present administration. This is where leadership has failed Nigerians and good governance has also been relegated to the back seat.
“Eastern Nigeria, like other parts of the country, deserves equal attention with the provision of critical infrastructure and development projects, as well as allocation of resources and key appointments at the federal level.
“No section of this nation is more Nigerian than another. My definition of democracy is doing what the people want the way they want things done. As leaders, we owe the people who voted us a duty to serve them without prejudice and sentiments on account of region, religion, ethnicity, language and political affiliation”. He noted
Ortom said that the founding fathers of Nigeria saw a vision for a United country where the place of someone’s origin should not supersede the quality of what he or she has to offer the country.
“The present administration at the centre has adopted the approach of intimidation of those who dare to voice out their frustrations and concerns over growing insecurity and marginalization. But I, Samuel Ortom, will never keep quiet as long as injustice and marginalization prevail in the affairs of our country.
Ortom said that he upholds the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior when he said and I quote:
“If peace means accepting second class citizenship, I don’t want it. If peace means keeping my mouth shut in the midst of injustice and evil, I don’t want it. If peace means being complacently adjusted to a deadening status-quo, I don’t want peace. If peace means a willingness to be exploited economically, dominated politically, humiliated and segregated, I don’t want peace.” unquote.
Governor Samuel Ortom said that he wants peace that is anchored on equity, fairness and justice.
“The current Presidency is on record to have leveled weighty allegations and criticisms against the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
They even threatened that if they were not allowed to take over power in 2015, “the dog and the baboon would be soaked in blood”.
“As you may recall, they also claimed that the fight against Boko Haram was an attack on the north. Perhaps that explains why Boko Haram chose the then Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress as their representative in negotiation with the Jonathan administration.
“These people occupying the Presidency at the moment also blamed the government of Jonathan for falling to tackle insecurity, but today, they are the same people harassing and intimidating Nigerians who speak against their failures.
“The present administration has introduced selective persecution and prosecution of perceived political opponents.
Its fight against corruption is only targeted at those who hold alternative views. No matter how corrupt someone is said to be, the moment such a person defects to APC, he becomes a saint. That is why some of my colleagues have already joined them. They have been intimidating members of other political parties with EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies.
“For instance, in Benue State, no day passes without one or more appointees of Government being invited and intimidated by EFCC simply because I have refused to bow to the strings of threats and harassment from Abuja to betray my people”.
Ortom made it clear that until the Presidency is willing to listen to the voices of patriotic Nigerians and take steps to address the worsening insecurity, excruciating poverty, hunger, unemployment and increasing prices of commodities, agitations may not go away so soon.
“Our universities and other tertiary institutions keep producing graduates on a yearly basis without commensurate efforts by the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for youths engagement and empowerment.
“The World Bank reported a few months ago that seven million Nigerians had plunged below the poverty line due to increase in inflation in the country in 2020. The statement came on the heels of the Presidency’s claim that in the last two years, the present administration lifted 10.5 million Nigerians out of poverty. The World Bank had earlier projected that an additional 20 million Nigerians could be impoverished by the year 2022.
“Similarly, Statistical Research Department in its January 29, 2021 Report, stated that Jihadist Fulani herdsmen activities in Nigeria from 2015 to 2020, led to the killing of over 7,400 Christians particularly in the Northern region. The Report further indicated that over five million people were displaced and their properties destroyed. Even the South East, South South and South West were not spared.
The pragmatic governor expressed optimism that the enactment of the law here in the East and other parts of the South followed by full implementation will drastically reduce the herdsmen attacks and guarantee peace and development in various communities of Benue State.
On national cohesion and sustainable development, Ortom said that youth restiveness, herdsmen attacks, banditry and other criminal activities have had negative impact on socio-economic life of Nigeria and are also fueling ethnic tensions.
“As I stated earlier, the current secessionist agitations here in the East and elsewhere are a result of injustice and lack of fairness to Nigerians by the current Presidency. This is why there is a growing perception that the Federal Government is encouraging the murderous activities of Fulani herdsmen by its actions and inaction.
From all indications, the public trust in the Presidency has been eroded. This does not speak well for the corporate existence of Nigeria” Ortom said.
On the issue of job creation as panacea to youth restiveness, Samuel Ortom said that in 2020, the unemployment rate in the country stood at 9.01 percent.
“This year 2021, the unemployment rate in the country is estimated to be at 32.5 percent.
You can now guess where Nigeria will be in terms of unemployment in 2023 when this administration will be leaving office. The question is, what has happened to the promise which those in control of the now government made in 2015 while campaigning that they will provide three million jobs per year?
“This was one promise that sparked jubilations at campaign rallies prior to the 2015 presidential elections. Sadly, the country has lost more jobs in six years than at any other time in the last few decades.
“If the Presidency had fulfilled its promise to create three million jobs per year, there would have been 12 million jobs in four years for Nigerians. On the contrary, the rate of unemployment under this government has risen from 18:8 percent in May 2015 to 33.3 percent in May 2021, translating to about 23.2 million jobless people.
“Tackling insecurity in the East and other parts of the country has to go hand in hand with job creation and youth empowerment. When youths are gainfully engaged, they have little or no time for agitations and criminal acts.
“The South East is known for entrepreneurship. If only the Federal Government had supported entrepreneurship development in the region, millions of youths would have been gainfully employed.
Finding the way forward, Ortom noted that the menace of insecurity in the East and other parts of the country can only be successfully addressed when Nigerians set aside sentiments and confront the monster.
“I therefore urge the federal, state and local governments, traditional rulers, religious groups, civil society organizations, youths and all other stakeholders to support security agencies to perform better. Security is everyone’s business”. Ortom said.
The governor called on governments at all levels to take aggressive steps to address the problem of youth unemployment.
“There must be concerted efforts at job creation and youth empowerment using the private sector to provide employment to young Nigerians. This is one sure way to reducing youth restiveness.
“The Federal Government should urgently put in place the enabling environment for the private sector to thrive, in order to prevent more industries from folding up. Government policies ought to be friendly to boost private sector participation.
Ortom called on the Federal Government to as a matter of honesty and urgency, respect the Federal Character Principle to end marginalization and injustice in form of appointments and development projects.
“The Federal Government should also implement the National Livestock Transformation Plan that was adopted by the National Economic Council (NEC). This will not only protect farming communities from attacks and herdsmen from cattle rustling but also lead to environmental protection, security of lives and property as well as guarantee food security. Indeed, ranching will also boost livestock production.
“As I have been saying, the Federal Government should publicly condemn the atrocities perpetrated by armed herdsmen, as well as arrest and prosecute the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM and other armed herder groups who have consistently admitted to the wanton killings and destruction of communities across the country”. Ortom said.
He called on the Federal Government to proscribe all militant Fulani groups as was done in the case of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), given that the Global Terrorism Index ranks Fulani militia as the fourth deadliest terrorist group in the world.
“The Federal Government should urgently convene a national dialogue of all ethnic nationalities to address the concerns being expressed by Nigerians.
“The Presidency should urgently hold a meeting of stakeholders of the entire Eastern Nigeria (devoid of party affiliation), probably here in Enugu to discuss the challenges facing the people which have given rise to youth restiveness and the violence being witnessed across the region.
“The Federal Government should also listen to patriotic calls by Nigerians and address the worsening insecurity, injustice, marginalization, poverty, hunger, unemployment and inflation, to be able to end agitations across the country.
Governor Samuel Ortom however, appeal to youths of the Eastern region to uphold peace and the non-violence approach in their agitations. While expressing believe that the non-violence model is a better option, as it has worked in other parts of the world.
“I equally appeal to the youths to cease further destruction of federal government structures in the region. Remember that the property you are destroying is your own property. They have already made a genuine case for restructuring among other meaningful demands and their voices have been heard loud and clear across the country and beyond”. He stated.
Governor Ortom conclude by appreciating NUJ, Radio Nigeria Enugu for the honour and award given to him by leadership of the NUJ FRCN Chapel.
I am grateful that you found me worthy of your award. I also congratulate other awardees on this occasion.
“May this event serve as a pedestal for sober reflection over the future of our dear country. I beseech you all to take a moment and reflect on how to make this country a better place for all. Nigeria is on life support and is running out of oxygen.
All hands must therefore be on deck irrespective of political, ethnic, religious and cultural differences to ensure the resuscitation of the country”. Ortom stated.
End.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The planned visit of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Anambra State has sparked controversy following a protest by the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, that the party was not informed about the visit.
Anosike said the APC in Anambra was never consulted or briefed about the proposed visit, adding that the party was taken aback by reports that the wife of the party’s national leader and presidential candidate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would be visiting the state without recourse to the state chapter.
He said, “It is indeed strange that the First Lady of our presidential candidate is visiting Anambra State without recourse to the party in the state.
“The party wishes to state categorically that we are not part of the arrangements for the reception of our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, because the party was never put in the picture.”
Anosike also dismissed the mantra that “The Progressives Are Working Together”, being canvassed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), describing it as a smokescreen by the ruling party in Anambra to hijack President Tinubu’s re-election from the APC.
He said, “For instance, the APGA-led government in Anambra State did not interface with us on the organisation of the visit, and the party wonders if the progressives are indeed working together.”
The APC chairman, however, said the development would not compromise the First Lady’s visit, urging all APC members and supporters in the state to turn out and give Senator Oluremi Tinubu a warm welcome.
He stressed that despite the party’s reservations over the arrangements, APC members remained committed to welcoming the First Lady to Anambra State.
Former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Sagir Saleh, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Saleh, who served as deputy governor under former Governor Isa Yuguda, announced his resignation in a letter submitted to the party leadership in Katagum Local Government Area.
He cited personal reasons for his decision but did not provide further details.
His exit comes amid growing disagreements within the Bauchi APC following the party’s 2027 governorship primary. Other prominent members, including former governorship aspirant Bala Jibrin and Sunusi Kunde, an associate of Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, have also reportedly left the party.
Jibrin, a former National Auditor of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), resigned on August 31, 2026, following his opposition to the emergence of former Bauchi Governor Muhammad Abubakar as the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate.
He had criticised the primary process and questioned how the candidate emerged.
Kunde also resigned from the APC in August, submitting his resignation to the party chairman of Beti Ward in Misau Local Government Area.
The latest departures are coming as efforts continue to resolve internal disputes and disagreements among APC members in the state.
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to assassinate former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election.
Ayodele issued the warning in a video shared on his verified X account on Sunday, urging both opposition figures to strengthen their security and remain vigilant.
The cleric did not identify those allegedly behind the purported plot but claimed that attempts were being made to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
According to him, divine intervention would prevent the alleged plan from succeeding.
“Obi and Atiku, be very conscious of your security. They are looking for any means to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
“But God will never allow it to happen. Watch out and be cautious about your security,” he said.
Ayodele also urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider travelling to the United States, alleging that there were forces in America working against his political fortunes.
The claims come as political activities and realignments intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Why the Igbo Must Choose Political Strategy Over Emotional Politics
By Emma Igwe
There comes a moment in the political history of every people when sentiment must give way to strategy.
For the South-East, 2027 may be that moment.
The question before the Igbo nation is not whether an Igbo man should one day become President of Nigeria. Of course he should. The question is whether the Igbo people are prepared to do the difficult political calculations required to make that aspiration a reality.
And that is where the 2027 presidential election becomes more than a contest between political parties.
It becomes a referendum on the political intelligence of the South-East.
Will the region continue to vote primarily to satisfy ethnic emotions and demonstrate loyalty to its own?
Or will it begin to think several political moves ahead—like a chess player who understands that sometimes the best way to capture the king is to first control the board?
THE HARD TRUTH THE SOUTH-EAST MUST CONFRONT
Peter Obi has demonstrated something remarkable.
He has shown that an Igbo politician can generate extraordinary enthusiasm among millions of Nigerians, particularly young people. His political movement has changed the conversation about presidential politics and created a new generation of politically conscious voters.
But enthusiasm is not the same thing as electoral mathematics.
The South-East must ask a difficult question:
Can regional popularity, without a sufficiently broad and durable national coalition, deliver the presidency?
That question is not an attack on Obi.
It is the central question of Nigerian politics.
The same principle applies to Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. His influence in Kano and parts of the North is considerable. Historically, Mallam Aminu Kano demonstrated how powerful regional political mobilisation could become.
But regional strength alone has never been enough to guarantee the Nigerian presidency.
Nigeria is a federation of competing interests.
The presidency is won by coalition.
And the Igbo must learn to build coalitions without surrendering their identity.
AZIKIWE, EKWUEME AND THE POLITICS OF REALISM
History provides the South-East with a political textbook.
Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was one of Nigeria’s most influential nationalist leaders. Yet his enormous stature and regional influence did not automatically translate into the presidency.
Alex Ekwueme took a different route.
In the Second Republic, he became Vice-President through a political arrangement that placed an Igbo leader at the very heart of the federal government.
That distinction is important.
Zik represented the grandeur of the national dream. Ekwueme demonstrated the power of political positioning.
The lesson is not that the Igbo should abandon presidential ambition.
The lesson is that presidential ambition must be accompanied by political architecture.
This is precisely why the David Umahi argument deserves a more sophisticated examination than the usual name-calling that accompanies it.
UMAHI’S POLITICAL GAMBLE
Like him or hate him, David Umahi understands one fundamental principle of politics:
You cannot negotiate from the margins if you want to control the centre.
His decision to work with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has attracted criticism from many quarters of the South-East.
But political history will ultimately judge whether that decision was merely opportunistic or whether it represented a calculated attempt to reposition the South-East within Nigeria’s governing establishment.
As Minister of Works, Umahi is also uniquely positioned to make the infrastructure argument.
The Federal Government says major road and bridge projects are currently being executed across Ebonyi and the wider South-East, including sections of the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Nasarawa–Abuja corridor and the Ndi-Egbe Bridge linking Ebonyi with Cross River.
Umahi has repeatedly argued that the Tinubu administration is reversing decades of infrastructure neglect in the region. In June 2026, he specifically cited projects that he said had remained unrealised for decades.
These claims should be scrutinised, not blindly accepted.
But neither should they be dismissed simply because they come from a politician whose political position many people dislike.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT LOVING TINUBU
Here lies the fundamental misunderstanding.
The argument for the South-East supporting Tinubu in 2027 does not have to mean that every Igbo man suddenly becomes an APC loyalist.
It does not mean that every policy of the Tinubu administration must be applauded.
It does not mean that the South-East should surrender its independent political voice.
It means something much more sophisticated:
The South-East should negotiate with power instead of permanently positioning itself outside power.
There is a difference between loyalty and strategy.
A political party is not a religion.
A presidential candidate is not a tribal deity.
Politics is transactional.
Every serious political region negotiates.
The Yoruba negotiate.
The North negotiates.
The South-South negotiates.
Why should the Igbo be the only people expected to vote purely from emotion?
THE 2031 CALCULATION
This is where the debate becomes particularly interesting.
If Tinubu wins in 2027, the political conversation will inevitably move toward the succession question.
Who takes over after Tinubu?
Which region?
Which coalition?
Which political bloc has accumulated sufficient goodwill, influence and bargaining power to negotiate the next presidential arrangement?
The South-East cannot wait until 2031 before asking these questions.
The political preparation must begin in 2027.
That is the strategic argument behind Umahi’s position.
If the South-East becomes a critical component of the governing coalition in 2027, it potentially creates a stronger negotiating platform for the future.
That does not guarantee an Igbo presidency.
Nothing in Nigerian politics comes with such a guarantee.
But it may create a better platform from which to negotiate one.
And that is the difference between political fantasy and political strategy.
THE BIGGEST MISTAKE WOULD BE TO TURN OBI AND UMAHI INTO ENEMIES
There is perhaps a more important question.
Why must Peter Obi and David Umahi be treated as political enemies simply because they have chosen different routes?
They are both prominent Igbo political figures.
One has demonstrated extraordinary grassroots mobilisation and national visibility.
The other currently occupies one of the most influential positions in the federal infrastructure establishment.
One understands mass political mobilisation.
The other understands the mechanics of government and federal power.
Why should these strengths not be brought together?
Why must the argument always be:
Obi versus Umahi?
Why can’t it become:
Obi and Umahi—what is the best strategic route for the Igbo nation?
The two men do not have to belong to the same political party.
They do not have to endorse the same presidential candidate.
They do not even have to agree on every issue.
But they can sit down as Igbo leaders and discuss the future beyond their personal political ambitions.
That conversation is long overdue.
THE SOUTH-EAST NEEDS A POLITICAL RESET
The greatest danger facing the South-East is not that it supports the wrong candidate.
It is that it continues to approach Nigerian politics primarily through the prism of emotional solidarity.
Every election becomes:
“This is our turn.”
“This is our brother.”
“This is our son.”
But Nigeria does not operate on sentiment.
The presidency is a national institution.
To occupy it, you need national numbers.
To acquire national numbers, you need alliances.
To sustain alliances, you need political relevance.
And to achieve political relevance, you must be present where national decisions are being made.
That is the political centre.
THE PRICE OF PERMANENT OPPOSITION
The South-East has spent years complaining about marginalisation.
Yet political marginalisation cannot be defeated by political isolation.
That is the paradox.
You cannot complain that Abuja is ignoring you while simultaneously refusing to develop a sustainable strategy for influencing Abuja.
You cannot demand inclusion while permanently behaving as though participation in the governing coalition is a betrayal of your identity.
The Igbo are too politically sophisticated for that contradiction.
The region must move beyond the politics of grievance to the politics of negotiation.
WHAT SHOULD THE IGBO DEMAND FROM TINUBU?
If the South-East is to support Tinubu, it should not be a blank cheque.
It should be a contract of political expectations.
The region should demand:
accelerated completion of strategic federal roads and bridges;
stronger federal presence in industrial and economic development;
greater political inclusion;
protection of businesses and investments;
improved security and regional connectivity;
greater representation in national appointments;
deliberate inclusion in future national power-sharing negotiations; and
a credible pathway toward greater political participation in the post-2027 era.
That is how mature politics works.
You do not merely vote. You negotiate.
UMAHI’S MESSAGE MAY BE UNCOMFORTABLE—BUT SHOULD NOT BE DISMISSED
Umahi has reportedly urged South-East political stakeholders to rally behind Tinubu in 2027, and has even framed the choice in terms of continued access to federal development projects.
That formulation will certainly provoke controversy.
But perhaps controversy is precisely what the South-East needs.
For too long, political debate has been reduced to accusations of betrayal.
Anyone who disagrees with the dominant regional political position is quickly labelled an enemy of the Igbo cause.
That mentality must end.
A political argument should be defeated with a better political argument—not with abuse.
If Umahi is wrong, prove that his strategy cannot deliver greater political influence.
If Obi is wrong, demonstrate why his strategy cannot build the coalition necessary to win the presidency.
But let the debate be about strategy, not personality.
THE CHOICE BEFORE THE SOUTH-EAST
The South-East now stands at a crossroads.
One road offers emotional satisfaction.
The other offers strategic uncertainty but potentially greater access to the political centre.
One says:
“Let us vote for our own because he is our own.”
The other asks:
“What political arrangement gives our people the greatest bargaining power?”
The second question is the question of statesmen.
The Igbo presidential dream should not be abandoned.
It should be redesigned.
It should be negotiated.
It should be built upon alliances stretching across the six geopolitical zones.
And if supporting Tinubu in 2027 can place the South-East in a stronger bargaining position for 2031 and beyond, then the question should not be whether such a strategy is emotionally satisfying.
The question should be whether it is politically intelligent.
LET UMAHI AND OBI SIT DOWN
Ultimately, this debate should not end with Tinubu.
It should begin with the future of the Igbo nation.
David Umahi and Peter Obi should sit down.
Not for a television debate.
Not for political combat.
Not to determine who is more popular.
They should sit down as two influential Igbo sons and ask one question:
“How do we get the Igbo nation back to the centre of Nigerian political power?”
If the answer requires supporting Tinubu today, let them say so.
If the answer requires another route, let them articulate it.
But let the South-East have the conversation.
Because the real tragedy would not be losing an election.
The real tragedy would be winning the argument for ethnic pride while losing the opportunity for political power.
The Igbo do not need another election of emotional satisfaction.
They need a political strategy.
And perhaps, for the first time in decades, the South-East must learn to choose not merely the candidate it loves—but the political arrangement that can take it where it wants to go.
National relevance must become more important than ethnic ego.
That is the uncomfortable conversation 2027 demands.
The African Democratic Congress has unveiled its governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the 2027 general elections in 28 states.
The party announced the candidates in a statement on Friday, saying they would fly the ADC flag in the various states and provide Nigerians with what it described as a credible alternative in the forthcoming elections.
Among the prominent candidates unveiled are Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour in Lagos State, Isa Mohammed Ashiru in Kaduna, Great Ogboru in Delta, Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita in Katsina and former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, in Kebbi.
Other states where the party has fielded candidates include Adamawa, Kano, Rivers, Oyo, Ogun, Plateau, Zamfara, Enugu and Ebonyi.
The ADC said the candidates were selected as part of its efforts to present credible leadership and offer Nigerians a “real alternative” ahead of the 2027 elections.
The full list is as follows:
- Abia: Kalu Kalu Agu — Governor; Alozie Ogadinma Darlington — Deputy Governor
- Adamawa: Modibbo Hammantukur Ribadu — Governor; Aguwa Kevin Iliya — Deputy Governor
- Akwa Ibom: Akpanudoedehe John James — Governor; Nsien Mkpombuk Tommy — Deputy Governor
- Bauchi: Senator Halliru Dauda Jika — Governor; Sama’ila Mohammed Kabir — Deputy Governor
- Benue: Rt. Hon. Herman Iorwase Hembe — Governor; Abba John Abba — Deputy Governor
- Borno: Babagana Buhari — Governor; Mamman Dauda — Deputy Governor
- Cross River: Nkoyo Toyo — Governor; Okwoche Andrew Adagbor — Deputy Governor
- Delta: Chief Great Ogboru — Governor; Afiari Gloria — Deputy Governor
- Ebonyi: Ukpai Mba Udeh — Governor; Onwe Daniel Ede — Deputy Governor
- Enugu: Ocho Obodoeze Chukwuma — Governor; Eze Arinze Christopher — Deputy Governor
- Gombe: Bala Bello — Governor; Bala Sani Isa — Deputy Governor
- Jigawa: Sabo Mohammed Nakudu — Governor; Musa Ya’u Balarabe — Deputy Governor
- Kaduna: Isa Mohammed Ashiru — Governor; Kantiok Irmiya Ishaku — Deputy Governor
- Kano: Ibrahim Ali Amin — Governor; Shehu Abdulkadir Bari — Deputy Governor
- Katsina: Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita — Governor; Aminu Yar’adua Ahmed — Deputy Governor
- Kebbi: Abubakar Malami — Governor; Zagi Musa Mohammed — Deputy Governor
- Kwara: Zakari Mohammed — Governor; Olawuyi Julius Olayide — Deputy Governor
- Lagos: Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour — Governor; Gbadamosi Babatunde Olalere — Deputy Governor
- Nasarawa: Nuhu Angbazo — Governor; Ahmed Yusuf — Deputy Governor
- Niger: Dr Mohammed Kpautagi — Governor; Musa Mamman — Deputy Governor
- Ogun: Biodun Collins Ogundipe — Governor; Muraina Oluwaranti Oluyemi — Deputy Governor
- Oyo: Taofeek Adegboyega Adegoke — Governor; Wahab Adeniyi — Deputy Governor
- Plateau: Brig. Gen. John Sunday Sura — Governor; Pwajok-Kele Chundung Bitrus — Deputy Governor
- Rivers: Gabriel Pidomson — Governor; Okumgba David Amapakaye — Deputy Governor
- Sokoto: Manir Mohammad Daniya — Governor; Isah Bello Ambarura — Deputy Governor
- Taraba: Abubakar Umar Tutare — Governor; Kwetishe Haruna Kwenyan — Deputy Governor
- Yobe: Kassim G. Gaidam — Governor; Kori Lawan Mohammed — Deputy Governor
- Zamfara: Shinkafi Bilyaminu Yusuf — Governor; Muhammad Abdulmuddalib Auwal — Deputy Governor
The party said the candidates would work under its platform to advance its agenda and present voters with an alternative ahead of the 2027 governorship elections.
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