By Izunna Okafor, Awka
A group of elder statesmen and concerned citizens, under the umbrella of the South-East Elders Alliance for President Tinubu ’27 has publicly declared its unalloyed support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, emphasizing the need for his re-election come 2027. The group, comprising prominent elders and stakeholders from the five states of the South-East, passed a vote of confidence in Tinubu, citing no fewer than ten reasons to justify their position and Tinubu.
Speaking at the group’s inaugural press conference in Awka on Thursday, March 20, 2025, the National Coordinator of the Alliance, Hon. Engr. Humphrey C. Nsofor, FNSE, stated that they resolved to fully align with President Tinubu’s leadership after extensive consultations on the political landscape of the country and its impact on the South East region. He emphasized that President Tinubu has demonstrated serious commitment to fairness and equity, ensuring that every region, including the South East, benefits from his administration’s policies.
Hon. Nsofor highlighted several appointments made by the Tinubu administration that have favoured the South East, including the appointment of people of the Southeast extraction officer as the Chief of Naval Staff, the Head of the Correctional Services, and key members in the Armed Forces Ruling Council. He further noted that the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) under President Tinubu is a long-expected historic milestone aimed at addressing the region’s long-standing infrastructural and developmental challenges.
“For a long time, Ndigbo have faced political marginalization, but with President Tinubu, that narrative is changing. Those who claim to own Nigeria are being proven wrong, as the President has dismantled the exclusive system that once gave some people undue supremacy over others. Today, every Nigerian has an equal stake in this country,” he asserted.
Addressing concerns about insecurity, the group commended President Tinubu’s decisive approach to tackling criminality and restoring stability across the country. According to the South East Elders Alliance, the President has demonstrated that insecurity can be effectively managed and that saboteurs seeking to undermine the government through terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and economic sabotage must desist, as Nigerians are now more enlightened.
The group also dismissed calls for Tinubu’s removal, challenging those advocating for a change in leadership of the country to provide credible reasons.
“If past leaders who ran the country into crisis were allowed to complete two terms, why should Tinubu, who is making tangible progress, not be re-elected?” Nsofor questioned.
The South East Elders Alliance for President Tinubu ’27 affirmed its commitment to mobilizing support beyond the South East, engaging elders from the South-South, South-West, Middle Belt, and the Northern regions to ensure the President secures a second term in office.
The group outlined ten key reasons why the South East should rally behind President Tinubu for a second term, which, according to them, include the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), which is set to tackle the region’s major infrastructural deficits, including erosion, poor road networks, and inadequate power supply; launch of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative, which is set to cut transportation costs by 60%, significantly benefiting traders and businesses in the South East; ongoing major infrastructure projects, including the rehabilitation of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, the completion of the Port Harcourt-Aba section of the Eastern rail line, and the development of the Anambra Basin for oil and gas exploration, and which is estimated to hold up to 1 billion barrels of oil and 30 billion cubic feet of gas.
Others, he said, include the empowerment of digital and creative enterprises through investments in youth development initiatives like the Nigerian Youth Academy and the National Youth Talent Export Programme, fostering job creation in the digital and creative sectors; support for small businesses and NANO-grants, with over N570 billion disbursed to the 36 states to support small businesses, and 600,000 nano-businesses already benefiting; an increase in minimum wage, as the signing of the new National Minimum Wage Law, raising wages to N70,000 per month, directly improves the standard of living for South East workers.
Also listed among the reasons are student loans and educational support, with over N95.6 billion allocated for student loans and education funding, ensuring that students from the South East can pursue higher education without financial strain; economic growth and foreign direct investments, as Nigeria’s oil production has risen to 1.61 million barrels per day, and two major Foreign Direct Investments worth over $500 million have been secured to drive economic expansion.
They also hailed President Tinubu, a vision for national unity, with his leadership prioritizing national unity and ensuring that no region is left behind in Nigeria’s development; as well as for his administration’s strategic investment in the future of the South East he with supporting President Tinubu seen as a step toward securing a prosperous future for the region, ensuring continued development and economic stability.
Hon. Nsofor concluded by urging the South East to recognize the value of President Tinubu’s leadership and actively support his re-election bid. He emphasized that Tinubu’s achievements in the region are clear indicators of his commitment to inclusive governance and national development.
“As an Igbo man, I am proud to stand with President Tinubu because his leadership offers hope, progress, and inclusivity. We must not be deceived by those who seek to divide us for selfish reasons. Let us embrace this opportunity to build a brighter future for our region and Nigeria as a whole,” he stated.
The text of the press conference was co-signed by prominent members of the Alliance’s Board of Trustees, including Chief Innocent Obi (Anambra State), National Chairman, Board of Trustees; Nze Amaechi Okolie Sadiq (Enugu State), National Director, Media & Strategic Communications; Chief Mrs. Susan Offor (Ebonyi State), National Woman Leader; Dr. Chris Nwagboso (Abia State), National Secretary; and Engr. Nick Osuagwu (Imo State), National Treasurer.
The South East Elders Alliance for President Tinubu ’27 reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring President Tinubu’s re-election, pledging to continue mobilizing support across the country.
