2027 and the Politics of Misrepresentation: Ben Kalu and the Fallacy of a Southeast Tsunami for Tinubu
By Rt. Hon. Linus Okorie, FCA
As Nigeria inches towards the next general elections, the political atmosphere is once again thick with projection, posturing, and premature declarations. A recent example is the rather curious assertion by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, RT HON. BENJAMIN KALU, that the South East will deliver over 70 percent of its votes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
Ordinarily, such pronouncements would be dismissed as typical political grandstanding. But when they come from the highest-ranking Igbo political officeholder in the Tinubu administration—someone positioned close to the seat of power—they demand a deeper interrogation. Not because they are prophetic, but because they risk misleading the nation and mortgaging the soul of a region that has long been wounded by marginalization and exclusion.
Let’s begin with the factual corrections. Yes, it is true that the South East Development Commission (SEDC) has been passed into law, signed, and its board inaugurated. But this achievement, which Hon. Kalu loudly celebrates as a singular presidential gesture to the South East, is not unique to the region. Similar development commissions now exist—or are being pushed—for every geopolitical zone of the country. Thus, while welcome, the SEDC cannot be touted as an exclusive favor or fulfillment of a long-standing promise. It is part of a national pattern, not a special benevolence.
And yes, the South East is represented at the top echelon of the military by the appointment of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla as Chief of Naval Staff. That, too, is acknowledged. However, when weighed against the avalanche of key national appointments—finance, economy, security, internal affairs, oil and gas, FIRS, CBN, customs, immigration—the Southeast remains glaringly underrepresented in both numerical and strategic terms.
This is the context in which Hon. Kalu’s political pledge must be examined.
It is understandable that, in seeking to consolidate his political future and maintain favor within the power architecture of today’s Nigeria, the Deputy Speaker may feel compelled to show loyalty and deliverables. However, to suggest that over 70 percent of Ndigbo will embrace and vote for President Tinubu in 2027 is not just a miscalculation—it is a deep misrepresentation of the emotional, political, and socioeconomic realities on ground.
A Region in Pain, A People in Protest.
The Igbo nation has not forgotten the sheer absence of equity and justice in the national equation. Since the end of the civil war, promises of reconstruction, rehabilitation, and reintegration have been made but never truly fulfilled. Infrastructure gaps remain glaring. The South East economy has been battered by insecurity, youth restiveness, militarization, and targeted economic disruptions, especially since the arrest and continued incarceration of MAZI NNAMDI KANU OFFICIAL, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (#IPOB).
Any honest political leader from the region must recognize that Mazi Kanu has become a prisoner of conscience in the eyes of many. His continued detention is not only unjust but has also aggravated insecurity, deepened youth alienation, and crippled the economy of the region, particularly on Mondays when forced sit-at-home orders persist.
If Hon. Ben Kalu truly desires to leave a mark in the hearts of his people, it is not by making empty political projections, but by leveraging his position to negotiate the release of Nnamdi Kanu as a bold step toward peace and reconciliation. That is what will calm frayed nerves, reignite hope among the youths, and restore economic stability to the region—not the bandying of speculative election numbers.
The Tinubu Scorecard: Tilted Scales and Regional Imbalance
Beyond the South East, Nigerians are groaning. Under the Tinubu administration, economic hardship has worsened, with inflation, hunger, unemployment, and insecurity skyrocketing. The sudden removal of fuel subsidy, the floating of the naira, and lack of a clear social safety net have plunged millions into poverty. The youth, especially in regions like the South East, feel abandoned, disillusioned, and angry.
Meanwhile, the President’s home region—the Southwest—has emerged as the epicenter of federal projects and high-level appointments, raising questions about fairness and inclusivity. From the multi-trillion naira Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, to the concentration of economic portfolios in Yoruba hands, the optics and substance of governance have not helped to unify the country.
Against this backdrop, the idea that Igbos, in their millions, would reward this administration with overwhelming electoral support defies both logic and history.
Who Will Ndigbo Rally Behind in 2027?
The events of the 2023 general elections remain fresh in our minds. In a historic political realignment, Ndigbo voted overwhelmingly for Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party. Not because he is Igbo, but because he embodied hope, integrity, competence, and compassion. Obi ran on a vision of fiscal prudence, inclusive governance, youth development, and nation building. His record as a former governor of Anambra State, and his conduct during and after the elections, earned him broad national appeal.
If Obi or someone with similar character and credibility emerges again in 2027, there is every reason to believe that the South East—and indeed most regions seeking a New Nigeria—will rally behind such a candidate. Not out of ethnic loyalty, but out of shared aspirations for justice, equity, and transformation.
In Conclusion, Hon. Ben Kalu would do well to remember that the Igbo political consciousness cannot be bought or bullied. It is shaped by history, sharpened by hardship, and driven by a fierce belief in justice and merit. To attempt to mortgage that consciousness for political lucre is not only an error of judgment but a betrayal of the spirit of service.
Rather than chase applause from the corridors of power, let him stand in the gap, speak truth to power, and deliver real results to the people who gave him a mandate. That is what posterity will remember—not hollow declarations of 70 percent loyalty to a system that has not yet earned even 20 percent of their trust.
Let us build a nation where loyalty is earned, not demanded; where votes are cast for hope, not fear; and where every region has a seat at the table—not just crumbs from the banquet.
Rt Hon Linus Abaa Okorie, FCA, is a former Member of the House of Representatives and a passionate advocate of A New Nigeria.