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Ebonyi Gov, Umahi Tasks Tinubu to Address Igbo Marginalisation
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, has been asked to address the marginalisation and discrimination of the South East in the country.
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Davi Umahi, who spoke on Thursday, during a town hall meeting attended by Tinubu, the political elite and entrepreneurs from the region in Owerri, Imo State, said since the end of the civil war, the Igbo had continued to be shortchanged.
Umahi said, “As we welcome and align ourselves with you, it is important that we urge you to address this issue as by the grace of God you become the next president of this country. There are certain positions that have continued to elude Ndigbo since the end of the civil war. It is our hope that your presidency will address this issue when you emerge as the next president of this country by the grace of God.”
The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, said the people of the South-East had resolved to align with the APC and make Tinubu the next president of the country.
He disclosed that a group of entrepreneurs from the region had levied themselves N500,000 each and realised over N1bn to support the presidential bid of Tinubu.
A former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, described Tinubu as a “warrior who has won the fight before the war.”
The immediate past deputy governor of Anambra State, Nkem Okeke, said he made no mistake by joining the APC in 2021, adding that Tinubu would emerge the next president of the country.
Tinubu, while responding, said if elected in the 2023 elections, his administration would bring about progressive governance.
The former Lagos State governor noted that he and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, were the best for the country and vowed to deal with stealing in government.
Reacting to Umahi, Tinubu said, “Your Excellency, the executive governor of Ebonyi State, I heard you very clearly. Our government will address the issue of marginalisation and segregation.”
He added, “I will bring progressive governance; a forward looking governance, not to take us to yesterday. My government will support entrepreneurs and stop exploitation. We are thinkers and doers. We will encourage greater productions in Owerri and Aba, establish and modernise existing hubs throughout Nigeria.
“Outside Lagos, my administration will fight corruption, encourage local production and increase the production demands in the country. We will use Nigerian potentials to realise progress, industrialisation and electricity. The more we consume, the more we will produce.
“We will reduce stealing in governance. We will tackle insecurity in Nigeria. We will address the issue of marginalisation and segregation. Though tongues and languages may differ, but in brotherhood we stand. I believe in the unity of our country.
“Good return on investments. My government, our government will comprise people from every segment of this country. Religion and tribalism, not our problem. We will prove wrong those who want to see us divided.”
The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has argued that there is nothing wrong if Nigeria evolves into a one-party state, provided it reflects the will of the people.
Speaking to State House correspondents on Friday after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Ganduje dismissed concerns raised by opposition leaders over the country’s political direction.
He insisted that the growing dominance of the APC is a reflection of public trust in the party’s governance.
“If one-party state is a wish and blessing to Nigeria; One-party state is not by force; it is by negotiation,” Ganduje said.
“If other political parties see the effect of the positive governance of our party and decide to come to our party willingly, I think there is nothing wrong with that.”
Citing China as an example of a successful one-party system, Ganduje stated that the APC is not actively working to eliminate opposition, but that defections and realignments are part of democratic processes.
“Too many political parties spoil governance,” he added.
Ganduje led three senators from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), reportedly from Kebbi State, to meet with President Tinubu, announcing their intention to join the APC.
According to him, their defection is the result of extensive negotiations among stakeholders in the state and is part of APC’s broader strategy to strengthen its base.
“This is a good development and in consonance with what is happening in Nigeria today. Almost every week in the Senate and House of Representatives, you see members of other political parties decamping to our party,” he said.
Ganduje assured that the APC is prepared to smoothly integrate the new members, maintaining that the party’s strategy to expand both its numbers and the quality of its membership is aligned with democratic principles.
The Senator representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has distanced herself from a viral TikTok video that surfaced online showing her dancing to “Omo Ologo”, a song in praise of President Bola Tinubu.
In a public disclaimer released via her verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Akpoti-Uduaghan denied owning any TikTok account, warning the public against being misled by parody accounts across various social media platforms.
“I do not own a TikTok account,” she posted.
“Many parody accounts exist in my name on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Some have garnered large followings.”
She clarified that the circulating video was manipulated from an old 2023 clip and repurposed with “mischievous intent” to mislead the public.
“While I hold the President in utmost respect, I’d urge everyone to disregard the mischievous post made using an old 2023 video of mine,” she stated.
The video, sound-tracked by “Omo Ologo”, a praise song performed by Dauda Kahutu Rarara at a recent event attended by Tinubu in Katsina, appeared to depict the senator aligning herself with the president’s camp.
President Bola Tinubu has issued a passionate call for unity, resilience, and renewed patriotism, urging Nigerians to stand firm behind ongoing reforms aimed at rebuilding the country’s economic foundation.
Speaking during a grand reception in Awka, Anambra State, on the occasion of his state visit, President Tinubu acknowledged the current challenges facing the nation but assured the people that the hard choices were necessary for lasting prosperity.
“We continue to plead with Nigerians for their patience and understanding,” Tinubu appealed.
“We call on all patriots and progressives to rise and continue to work hard every day for the greatness of our dear country. We have no other country but Nigeria. We must make it great as the pride of the black race.”
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to inclusive development, citing progress made in economic reform, infrastructure investment, and improved public finance management.
“We met near-insolvent public finance… unsustainable multiple subsidies… a chaotic and debilitating forex regime. These monsters have been tackled,” he said.
Highlighting renewed investor confidence and growth in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology, Tinubu said the “Renewed Hope Agenda” was already yielding visible results.
He particularly commended Anambra for leading in innovation and development, referencing the commissioning of the Solution Fun City and Government House Mini-City as signs of progress.
Describing Governor Chukwuma Soludo as “a brilliant man” and “a thinker who knows the way,” Tinubu added: “We are working together for a better Anambra and Nigeria.”
The president also praised Anambra State for fully implementing and even surpassing the new national minimum wage, calling it “a signal of true leadership and compassion for the working class.”
Asserting the federal government’s commitment to equitable development, Tinubu promised increased investment in roads, power, rail, and digital infrastructure across all regions, including the Southeast.
