Tinubu’s Choice of Uzodimma for South-east 2027 Campaign

The decision by President Bola Tinubu to anchor the All Progressives Congress 2027 election campaigns on the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, instead of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, is seen as what is to give the party victory in the region, Wale Igbintade writes.

Beyond the noise, it can be seen clearly that President Bola Tinubu’s decision to anchor the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2027 election campaigns on Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, instead of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Benjamin Kalu, is a grand master stroke.

Informed analysts, who have taken time to study the politics of Tinubu over the years, agree with his close associates that he is very strategic. This attribute is today being played out as the president made the difficult choice of the political leader in the Southeast zone that he would anchor his campaign on ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Some of the APC leaders from the South-east geo-political zone whose capacity and past roles were considered included Kalu, Uzodimma, Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, among others.

As would be expected, there has been so much noise over this matter. Kalu, for example, laboured so hard to convince Tinubu that he is the right candidate to market him in the geo-political zone.

To prove this, he also touted some organisations he believes will push the president’s campaigns. Added to these, Kalu tackled his state governor, Dr. Alex Otti, even when occasions have not called for a showdown, perhaps in a bid to convince Tinubu that he is also capable of political street fighting.

But considering Tinubu’s decision to choose Governor Uzodimma instead of Kalu, it can be said that he did some groundworks before making this choice.

One of the president’s associates said: “He was not deceived by empty noise or even roadside showmanship. He took this decision after being convinced, through realistic findings, that Hon Benjamin Kalu’s grassroots political influence is still largely limited to the Bende Federal Constituency, which he currently represents at the National Assembly.”

He added: “While victory at the Bende Federal Constituency may be important to Tinubu, everyone knows that he is looking for an anchor that will deliver the entire South-east zone, not just a federal constituency.

“Also, his Renewed Hope Ambassadors are equally largely limited to the Bende Federal constituency and so cannot be relied upon to win elections across the entire South-east zone, comprising five states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.”

So, it seems right to state that after a careful assessment of the political strengths of the frontline political leaders in APC jostling to convince Mr. President to anchor his 2027 Presidential Campaign on them, his choice of Uzodimma instead of Kalu is realistic.

It was after President Tinubu made public his stand on this matter, that the movement, South East Positive Movement (SEPM), a practical field research movement decided to research on the factors that informed Mr President’s decision and to comment on our assessment of it’s correctness.

First, it conducted a detailed assessment of the political leaders in APC considered for the job. It also assessed the depth and reach of the political platforms under their control, as a way of ascertaining their real political worth.

After the detailed assessments, it agreed with President Tinubu’s decision to settle for Uzodimma, as the best anchor that he can hope on to market him and APC in the South-east, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

They further agreed with President Tinubu’s henchmen, some of who were interacted with that “the state governors in the Southeast have greater and more reliable political structure than others who may make empty boasts.”

They also see as wise, the advice that since Governor Mbah is comparatively newer in the APC, it would be more realistic to anchor the election strategies for South-east victory on Uzodimma.

It would be stating the truth to say that Renewed Hope Ambassadors, which project Kalu, as its political leader, has so far sounded more as a mere “empty vessel,”  than a serious political movement that can effectively market APC in the South-east in 2027.

The point is that if President Tinubu depends fully on the so-called Renewed Hope Ambassadors, he may regret it as it may turn out to be a grave disappointment to his aspiration and the APC. This is because it seems the handlers of this movement are grossly limited in scope. They lack the reach they currently claim. So, the real worth of some South-east politicians at the grassroots, like Kalu, is not what the noise claim.

Take his Peace in the South-east Initiative for example, beautiful as it sounds, many believe that the peace initiative never held any security summit in any ward or local government area in the South-east.

Instead of organising a security summit anywhere in the region, the deputy speaker and his team allegedly went to have a gala night in Abuja with men in tuxedos, making mockery of the insecurity problem in the state.

“So, our group, as a grassroots stakeholders in South-east political landscape, totally agree with President Tinubu’s henchmen who advised him on this crucial matter.”

This is because mere dramatisation of peace will remain what it is, deceitful if it does nothing concrete to ensure real peace in the streets of the zone.

Some APC political leaders in the region may not know it, but Mr. President is aware of the empty claims some of them still make to receive undeserving favours. From this his initial steps, it is easy to see that Tinubu is not ready to fall prey to any cheap lie ahead of 2027 general elections.

The grandstanding notwithstanding, President Tinubu may have seen that Kalu has failed to tackle real peace initiative that will give APC an edge in the 2027 elections in the South-east region.

Mr. President is aware that aside Hon Kalu’s Bende Local Government Area, and perhaps one or two other areas in the entire Abia State, it can be said that Kalu’s Renewed Hope Ambassadors has no presence even in his home state, Abia, talk less of the entire South-east geo-political zone.

APC must strive to be more realistic than this for President Tinubu to win elections in the zone. But it is unfortunate that Hon Kalu and some other APC chieftains like him seem to think they can continue to give the president  the wrong impression that they have what it takes to win the election in the South-east region come 2027, when facts on the ground show otherwise.

As objective observers and stakeholders, South East Positive Movement considers it unfortunate that some South-east political leaders, who should prepare more carefully ahead of 2027 elections, are still more interested in drama and show of power.

What they did not know is that Tinubu is a well-grounded politician who makes efforts to see beyond charlatans. He is now convinced that well grounded governors are more important for his electoral victory in the South-east zone than even ‘a Number Six man,’ whose real grassroots reach is basically his one local government federal constituency.

For many members of the party, the reasoning is clearly strategic.