A support group of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), ADC Like-Minds, has faulted the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for re-election by stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-East, describing the move as disconnected from the realities faced by the Igbo under the current administration.
The National Coordinator of ADC Like-Minds, Comrade Adolphus Ude, criticised the endorsement following a declaration by South-East APC leaders pledging to mobilise support for Tinubu in the 2027 general elections. The endorsement was made during a high-level APC meeting at the Presidential Hotel, Enugu, attended by governors from the region, lawmakers, and other party leaders.
In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Ude, a former Deputy Chairman of the APC in Enugu State, accused the South-East APC governors of acting in their personal interests rather than advancing the collective welfare of the Igbo.
“The governors are merely trying to consummate their individual relationships with the President. There is nothing Tinubu has done in the South-East geo-political zone that warrants anyone in Igboland endorsing him for a second term,” he said.
Ude alleged that the Federal Government has continued to marginalize the South-East in the allocation of infrastructure, intervention funds, and political appointments since May 29, 2023.
Responding to comments from one of the governors about “aligning with the centre,” Ude asked:
“Which centre is he talking about? The same centre that has marginalised Igbos with impunity since Tinubu became President?”
He also criticised the governors for allegedly ignoring the destruction of Igbo-owned properties in Lagos following the 2023 elections, while endorsing Tinubu from the comfort of a luxury hotel.
“Hard-earned properties of Igbos are being destroyed in Lagos. Yet our governors sat in an air-conditioned hotel in Enugu to endorse the President, while their people roam the streets of Lagos homeless,” he added.
Ude insisted that the endorsement represented only a few political officeholders and did not reflect the will of the masses in the South-East. He challenged the organisers to show tangible benefits the region had gained under the Tinubu administration, accusing the governors of pursuing alliances mainly to access resources for personal enrichment.
“They tax the people heavily and invest in luxury hotels and state airlines that do not benefit the poor masses, instead of focusing on agriculture and power infrastructure that could drive regional development,” he said.
The ADC chieftain lamented what he described as the abandonment of productive economic models exemplified by former Eastern Region Premier, Dr. Michael Okpara, who prioritised agriculture and industrialisation.
He also criticised the lopsided allocation of federal projects, noting that Lagos State reportedly received projects worth trillions of naira within two years.
“Lagos got approvals running into trillions of naira, including port modernisation and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road. How much has come to the South-East within the same period?” he asked.
On national issues, Ude accused the Federal Government of subjecting Nigerians, including retirees and security personnel, to hardship through unpaid pensions, demolitions, and poor welfare.
He urged South-East governors to focus on meaningful development of the region rather than political endorsements, saying:
“They should look for something serious to do for the people, instead of forming alliances that only deepen the suffering of the masses.”
