Faction of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has announced its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, citing what it described as unprecedented efforts to meet the socio-economic needs of the Southeast region since the end of the Nigeria-Biafra War in 1970.
In a statement released in Abakaliki on Friday, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Deputy National President of a faction of Ohanaeze, praised President Tinubu for initiating and funding key development projects in the region.
According to Isiguzoro, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo affirms that President Tinubu is diligently addressing the critical challenges confronting the Southeast and the broader Igbo nation.”
He revealed that the Federal Government has committed ₦1.43 trillion toward the construction and rehabilitation of long-neglected federal roads across the Southeast, describing it as a historic allocation.
Additionally, Tinubu’s administration has established the Southeast Development Commission, which aims to drive regional economic growth.
Another major initiative is the $3 billion modernization project of the Eastern Economic Corridor. The upgrade includes converting the Port Harcourt–Aba–Ebonyi–Enugu–Makurdi–Lafia–Bauchi–Maiduguri railway line from narrow gauge to standard gauge, signaling a significant infrastructural overhaul.
Isiguzoro also pointed to the formation of the Southeast Investment Company, a body set up to attract and manage investment within the region, further boosting local development.
Responsibility for conveying the Southeast’s collective stance on Tinubu’s policies and projects has been assigned to the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, reflecting the administration’s effort to ensure proper representation and dialogue.
He emphasized: “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.”
The group also expressed strong disapproval of what it labeled as coordinated attacks on Senator Umahi by political opposition within the region.
“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 read.
Isiguzoro went further to warn that divisive media tactics will no longer be tolerated, saying, “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.”
Concluding, he called for unity among the Igbo and affirmed continued support for both Senator Umahi and President Tinubu.
“The Southeast would not allow any attempt to derail the progress being made,” he said, stressing that the new partnership with Tinubu’s administration should be “nurtured for mutual benefits” as Ndigbo work toward a more prosperous future.
