A former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and Deputy Leader of Ndigbo in Lagos APC, Hon. Jude Idimogu, has called on Mr. Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, to drop his 2027 ambition and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election.
In a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos, Idimogu said it would be extremely difficult for Obi to defeat Tinubu on any political platform in the next general election, adding that Southern unity must take priority over individual ambitions.
“I strongly agree with the Deputy President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo who appealed to Obi. Both he and Tinubu are from the South—this is the South’s time, and we must not allow a divided front to hand power back to the North,” Idimogu said.
The APC chieftain argued that Obi’s continued ambition could fracture Southern votes, ultimately weakening the region’s leverage and opportunity to retain the presidency.
He urged all prominent Southern politicians to rally behind Tinubu, highlighting the unity shown by the North during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s two-term tenure.
“The North stood by Buhari despite all odds. We must emulate that approach. Tinubu cannot fix Nigeria in two years—he deserves our full backing for continuity and stability,” he added.
While acknowledging Obi’s constitutional right to run, Idimogu urged Igbo leaders to think strategically and prioritize long-term regional interests over personal political pursuits.
He also appealed to Northern leaders to support Tinubu’s second term for the sake of equity, national balance, and democratic fairness, completing what he described as the South’s rightful turn in power rotation.
“This is not the time to disrupt the zoning arrangement. We need to see the bigger picture,” he said.
On the state of opposition parties, Idimogu asserted that neither the PDP nor ADC currently has a viable candidate strong enough to unseat President Tinubu in 2027.
He welcomed constructive criticism and policy alternatives from opposition parties, but emphasized that national unity and Southern cooperation must come first.
According to NAN, Peter Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election, is now aligned with the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—a coalition of opposition forces gearing up to challenge Tinubu’s 2027 bid.
