The Southeast chapter of the Renewed Hope for Greater Nigeria (RHGN) has launched a political initiative aimed at convincing former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, to abandon his 2027 presidential bid and support President Bola Tinubu.
It was reports that the group said it plans to enlist the intervention of prominent Igbo leaders, whom it believes can persuade Obi to reconsider his decision to contest the presidency and embrace what it described as a broader political arrangement between the Southeast and Southwest.
The Southeast coordinator of RHGN, Mazi Franklin Ngoforo, revealed the plan in Owerri, Imo State, on Saturday after a meeting of the organisation’s members.
Ngoforo said the group would reach out to the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, headed by Senator John Azuta Mbata, as well as respected Igbo figures, including former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, and former Chief of Naval Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe.
He said the proposed delegation would be asked to meet with Obi and appeal to him to reconsider his decision to seek the presidency in 2027.
According to Ngoforo, the purpose of the intervention would not be to question Obi’s political standing or diminish his influence among Nigerians.
Instead, he said the former governor would be encouraged to consider the Southeast’s long-term political interests and whether postponing his presidential ambition could produce greater benefits for the region.
The RHGN leader argued that the Southeast needed to approach the 2027 election with a longer-term political strategy.
He said rather than concentrating exclusively on whether an Igbo candidate wins the presidency in 2027, the region should explore alliances that could improve its prospects of producing a President at a later date.
Ngoforo identified the Southwest as a potential strategic partner, arguing that the Southeast should consider what it could gain from establishing a mutually beneficial political arrangement with the region.
He noted that if Tinubu wins re-election in 2027, he would be constitutionally limited to one further term. The Southeast, he argued, could use the period to cultivate political goodwill and negotiate reciprocal commitments ahead of the eventual transfer of power.
According to him, supporting the Southwest at the present stage could help create an understanding that would strengthen the Southeast’s claim when presidential power next rotates within the southern region.
Ngoforo maintained that political calculations should not be restricted to a single electoral cycle.
He appealed to Obi to view a decision to withdraw from the 2027 race as a strategic postponement rather than abandoning his presidential ambition.
He said such a move could allow the Southeast to build stronger relationships with other regions and secure commitments that could become useful in a future presidential contest.
“The issue is bigger than one election and bigger than one individual,” Ngoforo said.
He explained that the central concern should be how the Southeast could transform present political alliances into concrete benefits and stronger opportunities to occupy the presidency in the future.
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