POLITICS
Stop Speaking For Ndigbo – FCT Igbo Community Rebukes Uzodimma, Umahi Over Tinubu Endorsement Claims
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ICA disowns 2027 endorsement narrative: FCT-based Igbo association says no individual or group has the mandate to commit the South-East to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
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Officials accused of speaking for themselves: The association insists comments by Hope Uzodimma, David Umahi and Onyekachi Nwebonyi represent personal political positions, not the collective will of Ndigbo.
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Group questions claims of regional support: ICA argues that prevailing economic and governance challenges make assertions of overwhelming backing for the President inconsistent with realities in the South-East.
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Calls for governance over Politics: The body urges South-East leaders to prioritise public service and development rather than making political declarations on behalf of millions of voters.
Aug 04, () — The Igbo Community Association (ICA), the umbrella socio-cultural organisation representing Igbos in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has rejected claims that the South-East has reached a consensus to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, declaring that no elected official has the authority to make such a commitment on behalf of the region.
The association was reacting to recent comments by Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, Minister of Works, David Umahi, and Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, who expressed confidence that the South-East would rally behind President Tinubu in the next presidential election.
However, in a statement issued on Monday, ICA President-General, Nze Engr. Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe, dismissed the position as a personal political narrative that should not be mistaken for the collective voice of Ndigbo.
According to him, the three political office holders neither derive their authority from the Igbo electorate nor possess any constitutional mandate to determine the political direction of the South-East.
“The impression being created that Ndigbo have collectively endorsed President Tinubu for a second term is inaccurate and misleading”, Ellis-Ezenekwe said.
He maintained that while every Nigerian, including elected officials, is free to align with any political party or candidate, such individual preferences cannot be elevated to the status of a regional consensus.
The ICA said political endorsements made by office holders should remain personal political choices and should not be presented as decisions taken on behalf of millions of Igbo people spread across the five South-East states and beyond.
The association further argued that public sentiment in the region cannot be divorced from prevailing economic realities, insisting that many residents remain concerned about the rising cost of living, inflation, unemployment and other socio-economic challenges confronting the country.
It said those realities make it difficult to sustain claims that the South-East has unanimously embraced the President’s expected re-election campaign.
“The grassroots population across the South-East continues to assess governments based on their impact on daily life. It is therefore premature and misleading for anyone to proclaim a blanket endorsement on behalf of the region”, the statement noted.
The association also rejected suggestions that President Tinubu would sweep all five South-East states in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that electoral outcomes would ultimately be determined by voters rather than political projections.
While acknowledging the constitutional right of political leaders to canvass support for candidates of their choice, the ICA stressed that such advocacy should not be portrayed as the official position of the Igbo nation.
It urged political office holders from the South-East to concentrate on governance, delivery of democratic dividends and addressing pressing developmental challenges affecting the region instead of engaging in premature political campaigns.
The association added that the credibility of any political endorsement rests on the consent of the electorate, warning against attempts to “appropriate the political voice of Ndigbo” for partisan advantage.
Background
The exchange comes as political activities ahead of the 2027 general election gradually gather momentum, with key political figures across the country beginning to articulate their alignments and expectations despite the election being more than a year away.
Governor Uzodimma and Minister Umahi, both prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders from the South-East, have in recent outings projected confidence that President Tinubu would receive stronger electoral support from the region than in previous elections, citing ongoing federal infrastructure projects and improved engagement between the Presidency and South-East stakeholders.
Their remarks have, however, triggered debate among political and socio-cultural groups over who legitimately speaks for the region on electoral matters. The ICA’s intervention adds another dimension to that debate, insisting that political office holders cannot substitute their individual preferences for the democratic choices of millions of voters.
The association maintained that, as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify, the political direction of the South-East will ultimately be determined at the ballot box by the electorate and not through public declarations by elected officials.
