A group of former governors from Nigeria’s South-East region, led by Chris Ngige, has formally endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The endorsement was contained in a communiqué issued on Tuesday at the end of a meeting held in Enugu under the auspices of the newly established South-East Forum of Former Governors.
Other prominent attendees at the meeting included Sullivan Chime, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu, as well as former Ebonyi State governors, Martin Elechi and David Umahi.
Reading the communiqué, Umahi disclosed that the forum was formally inaugurated on April 7, 2026, with the objective of supporting incumbent governors in the South-East and providing advisory input on regional and national matters.
He noted that several former governors, including Ikedi Ohakim, Orji Uzor Kalu, Chimaroke Nnamani, Theodore Orji and Virginia Etiaba, were absent due to prior engagements, including medical trips.
Umahi, however, expressed optimism that over 90 per cent of former governors from the region would participate in subsequent meetings scheduled in the coming weeks.
According to the communiqué, the forum is open to all former South-East governors, regardless of political affiliation, and aims to foster unity while strengthening support for serving governors in the zone.
The group commended President Tinubu for appointing individuals from the South-East into key positions and for ongoing infrastructure projects in the region and across the country.
“We commend Mr President for key appointments given to sons and daughters of the South-East, as well as the infrastructure revolution ongoing in the region and across the country,” Umahi said.
The forum also declared its support for Tinubu’s re-election bid, noting that all serving South-East governors are aligned with the position.
“We boldly say that all the governors of the South-East are supporting Mr President’s re-election, and we will continue to give them our full support,” he added.
The former governors further praised current South-East governors for their efforts in infrastructure development, security and empowerment initiatives.
Umahi disclosed that the forum plans to engage directly with incumbent governors to strengthen collaboration and promote awareness of government policies and programmes.
On the absence of Peter Obi, Umahi clarified that not all former governors were present at the inaugural meeting, expressing confidence that broader participation would be achieved at future gatherings.
He also stressed that the forum would not replace the existing South-East Governors’ Forum but would work collaboratively with it to identify areas of support.
The development is seen as a significant political move in the South-East as key stakeholders begin to align ahead of the 2027 general elections.
