Not Yet Our Turn: Umahi Says Southeast Must Wait Until 2031 for Nigeria’s Presidency
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has stated that the Southeast region must wait its turn in Nigeria’s power rotation, insisting that it is “not yet time” for the region to produce the next president.
In an interview obtained by PulseNets, Umahi explained that political equity and continuity must guide the nation’s leadership arrangement as the country moves towards the 2027 general elections.
“No, it’s not our time yet. The South-East must wait. Before the 2023 elections, the 17 Southern governors met in Asaba and agreed that the presidency should return to the South — regardless of party affiliation,” Umahi told PulseNets.
“We all tried, but the mandate eventually went to President Bola Tinubu. He’s from the South, and that makes it wrong for anyone from the South-East to now say it’s their turn.”
According to the Minister, Tinubu’s current administration represents the collective South, and he should be allowed to complete his two-term tenure before power rotates again.
“President Tinubu must be allowed to finish his eight years because that tenure belongs to both the South and the North. After he completes his administration in 2031, then the South-East can rightly present a candidate,” Umahi explained.
The former Ebonyi State Governor noted that while the South-East has experienced marginalisation in the past, that should not override the principles of fairness and political stability. He disclosed that the region’s political struggles partly explain why some governors found it difficult to deliver votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 elections.
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“There are people in the South-East who are very eminently qualified — even better than some of those clamouring now,” he told PulseNets, adding that the region must “be strategic and patient” if it truly wants to earn the trust of other zones.
Umahi’s comments have stirred discussions about the future of power rotation, particularly as regional blocs begin positioning for influence ahead of 2027.
