Ohanaeze Ndigbo Press Release – 15th February 2026

The apex Igbo sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, mindful of its enduring responsibility to safeguard the collective interests of the Igbo people, issues this definitive statement with the utmost clarity and forthrightness. This message is directed specifically to all Igbo presidential aspirants, and most particularly to Mr. Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State.

It is the considered and resolute position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo that the pursuit of the Igbo presidency in 2027, given current political realities and strategic considerations, represents a perilous endeavor, an improbable undertaking, and a potential miscalculation. Furthermore, the amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act, as initiated by the 10th Nigerian Senate, significantly diminish the prospects of victory for any candidate operating outside the existing ruling coalition in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for 20th February 2027. Consequently, Ohanaeze Ndigbo reiterates its previously stated position: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is, by all observable indicators and prevailing circumstances, the frontrunner in the 2027 elections.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo unequivocally supports the declaration of the Honorable Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, that President Tinubu has effectively addressed the long-standing issue of Igbo marginalization. We acknowledge and concur with Senator Umahi’s candid counsel to Mr. Peter Obi, which we deem to be both truthful and prudent. Mr. Obi, we must state plainly, was not an “Igbo Candidate” in the 2023 presidential elections, and the likelihood of such a designation in 2027 remains negligible. This is not to diminish Mr. Obi’s inherent right, as a citizen of Nigeria, to pursue the presidency in 2027 in his individual capacity.

This clarification is deemed essential to preclude any misinterpretation. Mr. Obi’s personal ambition to vie for the 2027 presidency should not be conflated with a cohesive “Igbo Project.” We affirm that Mr. Obi has never, publicly or privately, proclaimed himself as the “anointed Igbo Candidate” – neither in the 2023 elections nor in anticipation of the 2027 elections.

For the avoidance of any doubt, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is demonstrably addressing the remnants of the Biafran War, a conflict that officially ended in 1970. Ohanaeze Ndigbo extends its profound gratitude to both President Tinubu and Senator Umahi for their proactive efforts in addressing the neglected federal expressways, infrastructure that suffered severe degradation during the Nigerian-Biafran War (1966-1970). For over fifty-three years, Ndigbo have witnessed the systematic neglect and deliberate deterioration of road infrastructure in the Southeast by previous administrations. President Tinubu’s appointment of Senator Umahi as the first Igbo Minister of Works represents a strategic and momentous step toward addressing the longstanding grievances of the Southeast and correcting historical marginalization within the Nigerian polity.

Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro
Deputy President General
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide

Chief Chinenyeze Ohia
National Spokesman
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide