2027: “Umahi Showing Signs of Slave Mentality” – Igbo Women Blast Minister Over Tinubu Praise

The Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) has strongly criticized Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, for his recent comments suggesting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been fair to the South East and that the region should shelve any hopes of clinching the presidency in 2027.

Reacting to Umahi’s statement, IWA accused the minister of promoting a “defeatist” and “sycophantic” agenda. The group’s National President, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, questioned Umahi’s claims, demanding evidence of President Tinubu’s alleged fairness towards the region. IWA pointed out that two out of five ministers from the South East in the current administration are only junior ministers, while states in the South West enjoy greater representation.

The group also highlighted the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu and the non-functional Enugu-Aba rail project as clear indicators that Tinubu has done little to change the narrative of Igbo marginalisation. According to IWA, every geopolitical zone now has a regional development commission except the South East, raising further questions about equitable treatment under the current government.

Describing Umahi’s position as indicative of “a slave mentality,” IWA warned him and other political elites from the region to stop trading off Igbo interests for personal gain. The group called on them to learn from leaders in other regions who prioritise their people over political survival.

In a related development, IWA also criticised Nollywood actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo for his recent claim that only a Northerner could defeat President Tinubu in 2027. The group said the comment was “narrow-minded” and disappointing, especially coming from someone they previously regarded as a passionate advocate for Igbo interests.

While acknowledging Okonkwo’s past efforts in promoting Igbo causes, IWA urged him not to compromise his growing political reputation with divisive rhetoric. The group said Nigerians across ethnic and political lines are increasingly uniting behind candidates like Peter Obi, not because of tribal affiliation, but due to their perceived competence and integrity.

IWA emphasised that the 2023 presidential election, in which Obi polled over six million votes without a strong political structure, demonstrated the national appetite for change and leadership rooted in accountability rather than tribal rotation. The group said the 2027 election offers the South East an unprecedented opportunity and warned against undermining that momentum with defeatist narratives.

In a final note, IWA cautioned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its coalition partners against fielding a Northern presidential candidate in 2027. According to the group, such a move would alienate the South and weaken the coalition’s support base, as many Southerners believe it is still their turn to hold the presidency for another four years before it returns to the North.

“The whole South will cast off party and tribal sentiments and unite against any move to hijack power back to the North in 2027,” the group warned.