A former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Jude Idimogu, has called on the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, to shelve his 2027 ambition and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Idimogu, who currently serves as the Deputy Leader of Ndigbo in the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made the appeal during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.
According to him, it would be “extremely difficult” for Obi to defeat Tinubu in the next presidential election regardless of the platform he runs on. He argued that continued fragmentation of Southern presidential ambitions would only weaken the region’s chances of retaining power beyond 2027.
“I strongly agree with the appeal made recently by the Deputy President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Mr. Peter Obi should support President Tinubu, as both leaders hail from the South. Unity is crucial at this point,” Idimogu said.
He warned that a divided Southern front could once again play into the hands of Northern interests, as seen in previous election cycles. “This is the South’s turn. We must not allow multiple Southern candidates to disrupt the zoning arrangement and open the door for a Northern candidate to return to power,” he cautioned.
Drawing parallels with former President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, Idimogu noted that despite public dissatisfaction, Northern politicians remained united in backing their candidate for two consecutive terms. He urged Southern leaders to adopt a similar strategy for the sake of regional continuity and political balance.
“Tinubu deserves full support. The challenges facing Nigeria cannot be resolved in just two years. With unity and consistency, progress is achievable,” he added.
While acknowledging Obi’s constitutional right to run for office, Idimogu appealed to prominent Igbo and Southern leaders to prioritise regional interests by rallying behind the incumbent president.
He also called on Northern politicians to support Tinubu’s re-election bid in the spirit of equity, fairness, and national stability.
“Constructive opposition is welcome in a democracy, but we must put unity first,” Idimogu said. “At this point, neither the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nor the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has a candidate with the political strength to unseat Tinubu.”
Obi, who came third in the 2023 presidential election, is currently aligned with the ADC—a coalition of opposition forces gearing up to challenge Tinubu’s second-term bid.
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