Southeast Development: Igbo Elders,Presidency At Loggerheads Over Tinubu’s Impact

Abuja, Nigeria – A sharp divergence of opinion has emerged regarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s performance in Nigeria’s Southeast region, with the Igbo Elders Consultative Forum asserting a lack of tangible development, while the Presidency and its allies highlight significant ongoing projects. This comes as the political landscape shifts towards the 2027 general elections.

Speaking exclusively with a correspondent on Monday, Professor Charles Nwekeaku, Secretary General of the Igbo Elders Consultative Forum, delivered a scathing assessment, declaring that the Tinubu administration has “failed to deliver tangible development to the Southeast.” He warned that should the current state of affairs persist, the All Progressives Congress (APC) might struggle to garner even 25 per cent of the votes from the region in 2027.

Professor Nwekeaku pointed to neglected infrastructure and economic needs as primary concerns. “Every 100 meters, police checkpoint or military checkpoint… And the road is terrible. The road that would take one hour would take you four hours in the Southeast,” he lamented, insisting that “nothing in the Southeast” warrants claims of the President doing well. He stressed that the Igbo people would prioritize “merit, accountability, and good governance” in 2027 rather than party loyalty.

His critique extended to the nation’s economic woes. “What is the exchange rate of the Naira now? About 1,500 and something. If you go to the parallel market, N1,600, N1,000, almost N1,700,” he noted, contrasting this with the N70,000 minimum wage. While the official minimum wage was indeed raised to N70,000 in July 2024, current market realities show a 50kg bag of rice typically ranging from N60,000 to over N90,000, depending on variety and location, rendering the new wage largely insufficient.

However, the Tinubu administration has strongly countered these claims. Minister of Works, David Umahi, during the recent 2025 Sallah celebration in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, credited President Tinubu with reversing years of federal neglect in the Southeast.

He emphasized the visibility of federal presence across the region, citing ongoing projects such as the Port Harcourt to Enugu, Enugu to Abakaliki, Enugu to Onitsha, and Owerri to Onitsha road constructions. Umahi also highlighted progress on the Second Niger Bridge, noting that the administration inherited “almost no projects” in the Southeast.

Pro-government groups and officials also point to broader economic reforms aimed at stabilizing the economy and attracting investment, including the establishment of the Southeast Development Commission (SEDC). Some APC chieftains from the region have also publicly endorsed President Tinubu for re-election, asserting that the Southeast was the first to formally back him for a second term.

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Professor Nwekeaku further criticized the recent defections of politicians to the ruling APC, labeling their actions as “self-serving and devoid of any genuine interest in the people they claim to represent.” He argued that many defectors are merely seeking to evade investigation due to alleged past wrongdoings.

As the 2027 elections draw closer, the debate over President Tinubu’s impact on the Southeast and the nation’s economic climate is set to intensify, with both sides presenting their arguments to sway public opinion.