A former Lagos lawmaker, Mr. Jude Idimogu, has urged the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, to shelve his 2027 presidential ambition and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in the interest of Southern unity and national stability.
Idimogu, who is the Deputy Leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, made the call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.
According to him, Obi stands little chance of defeating Tinubu in any political configuration and his continued ambition could fracture the South’s political strength, inadvertently handing an advantage to the North in the next presidential race.
“I strongly agree with the appeal by the Deputy President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Obi should support Tinubu, especially since both are from the South,” he said.
Idimogu warned that Obi’s participation in the 2027 election could divide Southern votes, similar to what happened in 2023, which weakened the region’s ability to consolidate political power.
“This is the South’s turn. Let’s not allow another Southern candidate to disrupt the zoning and help Northern interests,” he cautioned, drawing a comparison with the North’s united support for former President Muhammadu Buhari across two election cycles.
He emphasized that Tinubu needs more time to implement his policies and turn around Nigeria’s fortunes, arguing that the complex problems inherited by the current administration cannot be solved in just two years.
“Tinubu deserves full support. He cannot undo Nigeria’s problems in two years. With unity, progress is possible,” he said.
Idimogu also called on all prominent Southern politicians to rally behind Tinubu and for Northern leaders to respect the spirit of equity by supporting a second term for a Southern president.
While acknowledging Peter Obi’s democratic right to contest, Idimogu urged Igbo leaders to act strategically by placing regional interests above personal ambition.
He added that opposition parties like the PDP and ADC lack candidates with the national appeal and political structure to defeat Tinubu in 2027.
“Constructive criticism and alternative ideas are welcome, but national unity and Southern solidarity must come first,” Idimogu concluded.
NAN reports that Peter Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election, is now aligned with a coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), aimed at challenging President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
