Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Stakeholders from across the South-East—comprising past, present, and emerging leaders—gathered in Enugu for a one-day leadership conference themed “The 2027 General Elections: Rethinking South East Leadership Roadmap Through Shared Regional Goals.”
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, participants resolved that the region’s shared priorities for 2027 include security of lives and property, a peaceful environment for enterprise, and full reintegration of the South-East into Nigeria’s highest decision-making structures. Central to this, they said, is the quest for a Nigerian President of South-East extraction in 2027.
The communiqué warned that after 2027, the region may lose any realistic pathway to the presidency, arguing that power rotation appears to be narrowing between the North and the South-West. It stressed that the South-East has suffered “the highest injustice” in presidential power rotation under the Fourth Republic, having never produced a president while the South-West has held the seat three times and the South-South once.
Participants also noted that no South-Easterner is currently positioned to contest for president or vice president on a mainstream political platform, blaming the absence of a unified regional roadmap. They said various South-East leadership structures have failed to articulate clear “rules of engagement” with other geopolitical zones.
The communiqué, signed by Dr. Godwin Udibe, Prof. Jehu Onyekwere, John Nwobodo, Esq., and others, declared that the region’s common goal in 2027 must be the emergence of a president from the South-East. They appealed for national support from citizens who believe in equity, justice, and equal access to opportunities.
The conference also condemned what it called the “poaching game” by the APC-led Federal Government—referring to the defection of governors and lawmakers—as harmful to the morale and dignity of South-East citizens and ineffective in addressing security or development challenges.
Participants lamented a “yawning leadership vacuum” in the region, accusing Ohanaeze Ndigbo, traditional rulers, governors, and elected officials at all levels of failing to provide direction.
To fill the gap, attendees announced the formation of a non-partisan political union, the South-East Enlightenment Group (SEEG), to drive regional political education and build alliances across Nigeria in pursuit of the 2027 presidency.
The group also urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to forgo his 2027 presidential bid and support a South-Easterner for a single-term presidency, to complete eight years of southern leadership before power returns to the North.
