A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Obidike Chukwuebuka, has expressed confidence that Ndigbo will rally behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, urging eligible voters in the South-East to make their votes count
Obidike, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Clarivo Oil and Gas, said the South-East could no longer afford to approach national politics solely from the standpoint of opposition, urging voters to assess the Tinubu administration based on infrastructure, representation, economic opportunities and federal presence in the region
Speaking in an interview, he identified the establishment of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) as a significant institutional response to the region’s longstanding demand for coordinated federal intervention and development
He also cited the approval of the South-East Investment Company, an investment vehicle designed to mobilise capital and accelerate industrial and infrastructure development across the five South-East states, with initial funding of N150 billion
According to him, the investment framework, alongside the SEDC, provides a platform for the region to pursue large-scale development beyond the limitations of individual political administrations
Obidike further pointed to the Federal Government’s support for the South-East Vision 2050 development blueprint, a long-term regional framework intended to promote coordinated economic planning, industrialisation, infrastructure development and regional integration
On road infrastructure, the APC chieftain cited the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, describing it as one of the region’s most important economic corridors
He also referenced the 107-kilometre Enugu-Onitsha Expressway project, being reconstructed under the Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme, with MTN Nigeria involved in the project
Other projects he highlighted included the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, particularly the Umuahia-Aba section; the Enugu-Ninth Mile-Makurdi Expressway; the Enugu-Abakaliki Highway; the Okigwe-Owerri Road; the Onitsha-Owerri Road; the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road; and the Owerri-Aba Road
Obidike also highlighted what he described as increased federal attention to education and healthcare infrastructure in the South-East
Among the projects he cited were the Federal College of Education, Bende, Abia State; the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Item, Bende, Abia State; and the Federal University, Okigwe, Imo State
He also pointed to the Federal Government’s approval for the upgrade of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, as well as investments in medical facilities at the institution
Obidike, who also chairs Clarivo Holdings Limited and Bidiks Nigeria Limited, said the central issue for voters in the South-East should be whether their political choices advance the interests of the people, rather than whether they support the party controlling the Federal Government
He argued that supporting an incumbent president did not amount to abandoning regional interests, adding that the 2027 presidential election would provide an opportunity for voters in the region to reassess their political choices
The APC chieftain expressed confidence that Ndigbo across the five South-East states, as well as those residing in other parts of the country, would rally behind Tinubu in the election
He urged eligible voters to participate in the electoral process, stressing that the region should not allow the opportunity to secure greater federal attention, investment and development to slip away