Igbo presidency: Ihedioha denies working against Obi

By Ori Martins 

The former governor of Imo State, His Excellency, The Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, has denied allegations he was working against His Excellency, Peter Obi’s  2027 presidential election. 

Ihedioha, an erstwhile deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, made this declaration in a press release he signed.

According to the press release, Ihedioha cleared the grounds on his stance on Obi’s exit from ADC to NDC. “Over the last one year, we have consciously and consistently worked to build a coalition of well-meaning Nigerians under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Our purpose has been clear, to deliver good governance to the people of Nigeria and to build a nation that is accountable, inclusive, and prosperous”, Ihedioha stated.

He added, “On Sunday, May 3, 2026, my brother, His Excellency Peter Obi, made the decision to move to the NDC in pursuit of his political aspirations. While I would have preferred that this ambition was pursued within the ADC, I recognize that in a democracy, every leader has the right to make political choices guided by conviction. I respect his decision and wish him well”.

The immediate past Imo State governor explained that his political aspirations at the national level are the same.  “We share a common aspiration for a better Nigeria, one that works for all and respects our diversity. This remains our collective goal, one that transcends political platforms”, he enthused.

Ihedioha said he had always made one sacrifice or the other. He said,  “As a foundational member of the ADC coalition, I am fully conversant with the detailed and painstaking efforts that have brought us to where we are today. These efforts have been built on sacrifice, strategic alignment, and a clear vision for Nigeria’s future”.

Strongly and clearly giving  reasons he still identified with ADC even after Obi’s move to NDC, Ihedioha noted thus; “After due consultation and reflection over the past 72 hours, I have chosen to remain in the African Democratic Congress at this time. I take deliberate political steps, and for now, I find no justification to turn my back on the ADC”.

Ihedioha concluded by saying, “We will continue to work towards the shared vision of a New Nigeria, same OBJECTIVES, different PLATFORMS”.

Informed commentators  have equally come to the defence of Ihedioha. According to Raymond Nwachukwu,  those attacking Ihedioha on the basis of not supporting Obi’s presidential aspiration have no strong points.

He said, “It is a known fact that among the five governors of the South East extraction, none has come out to lend support to the presidential aspiration of Obi in 2027. In fact, the governor of his home state, Anambra, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has been at the forefront of those vehemently campaigning against his ambition, while the other governors, probably except for Alex Otti of Abia State, have not only moved to the APC but are cheerleaders of President Tinubu’s re-election in their various states.

“Curiously, their efforts at undermining the ambition of their fellow “brother” do not elicit any backlash as much as a sniff in the air by  Ihedioha and political observers are wondering. The answer is not far-to seek. Ihedioha and Obi share the people’s affinity to a great degree. The reason why the people support Obi is the same reason why they support Ihedioha. They are presumably products of the people’s frustration over the government’s protracted neglect in various forms. They share a common aspiration for a better Nigeria, one that works for all, and respect our diversity irrespective of the political platform. They resonate with the yearnings of the youth and all well-meaning lovers of good governance”.

Nwachukwu said the much ado about nothing about the lack of support, by Ihedioha to Obi’s presidential ambition in 2027 only exists in the mischievous imagination of the fifth columnists who are bent on sowing a seed of discord between the followers of the two political gladiators. They allude to the fact that Ihedioha is not supportive of Obi for the mere reason that he did not ditch the ADC as soon as  Obi did, and in their warped imagination, it is a direct pointer to Atiku’s support. What they failed to realize is that at some time, Atiku and Ihedioha’s closet political ally, Aminu Tambuwal, left the PDP for the APC, but Ihedioha remained in PDP.