The 2027 presidential race has triggered another debate over zoning and regional rotation after Minister of Works David Umahi said the presidency is not yet the turn of the Igbo.
Umahi, a former governor of Ebonyi State, made the statement in Benin City on Thursday while defending the Tinubu administration and discussing the Federal Government’s infrastructure projects.
His remarks came during a response to criticism involving Peter Obi, the former Anambra State governor and NDC presidential candidate.
What Umahi said
Umahi said he did not believe the South-East’s opportunity to produce a Nigerian president had been ruled out.
Instead, he argued that the region’s turn would come in the future.
According to him, “it is not yet our turn” and the current political period belongs to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Umahi also stated that he personally wants to become president but said the timing was not right for the South-East.
He further urged supporters of Tinubu’s administration to defend the government’s record across Nigeria.
Why the comments have attracted reactions
The statement has opened a fresh discussion about how presidential power should be shared among Nigeria’s regions.
Critics of Umahi’s position argue that the presidency has historically been discussed in terms of rotation between the North and South, rather than a fixed sequence among the South-West, South-South and South-East.
Other commentators have challenged the idea that political office should be allocated according to an informal regional entitlement.
Umahi also responds to Peter Obi comparison
Before discussing the presidency, Umahi addressed claims that Obi was not his “match.”
The minister said he considered whether the comparison should be based on family background, intellectual capacity, achievements as governors or contributions to the South-East.
He questioned the basis for concluding that Obi was superior to him on those grounds.
The exchange adds another dimension to the political conversation surrounding the two South-East politicians as the 2027 election approaches.
Zoning remains a major political issue
The question of where Nigeria’s next president should come from has featured prominently in political discussions ahead of 2027.
Umahi’s latest comments have added to those debates, particularly within the South-East, where some political groups and commentators have argued for an Igbo presidential candidate.
For now, Umahi’s position is that the South-East will eventually have its opportunity, but that he considers the current presidential moment to belong to Tinubu.
