2027: S-East Govs attacking Peter Obi are driven by Selfish Interests – SAN alleges

…Says governors seeking political rewards,

….warns against vote-buying and electoral manipulation

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ben Uzuegbu, has accused some South-East governors of attacking the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 general election, alleging that their actions are driven by personal political ambitions rather than the interest of the people.

Uzuegbu, an Onitsha-based lawyer, human rights activist and social critic, described the alleged attacks as desperate political man-oeuvres aimed at pleasing influential political figures who could reward the governors with political appointments after their tenures.

Speaking with journalists in his office in Onitsha, Anambra State, the legal practitioner said the governors were more concerned about securing their political future than addressing the concerns and aspirations of ordinary Nigerians.

He argued that the governors’ criticisms of Obi were not necessarily informed by any disagreement over policies capable of advancing the interests of the South-East or the country, but by what he described as calculations for personal political gains.

“Everybody knows that South-East governors attacking Peter Obi are doing so because of their own selfish interests. The interest they have may be that in the future they will be chosen as Vice-President or given one office or the other after their tenure in office,” he said.

The SAN further alleged that some of the governors were using their opposition to Obi to demonstrate political loyalty to their perceived benefactors in anticipation of future political favours.

According to him, the political man-oeuvres of the governors would not necessarily determine the outcome of the 2027 election, insisting that the electorate, rather than political officeholders, should have the final say in deciding who represents their interests.

He said Obi had continued to enjoy the support of Nigerians who identify with his political message, expressing confidence that a credible electoral process would provide an opportunity for the electorate to freely express their preferences.

However, Uzuegbu warned that widespread poverty could create opportunities for politicians to manipulate voters through financial inducements, stressing that economic hardship remained a major threat to the credibility of elections in the country.

He alleged that politicians with access to public resources could exploit the vulnerability of impoverished citizens through vote-buying, adding that Obi’s major electoral challenges would come from financial influence and possible manipulation of political structures, particularly at the local government level.

“Left alone, I don’t think the campaign being carried out by the governors will work against Peter Obi. But with the influence of money and the influence of structures like local government chairmen who may try to rig the election, that is where the challenge lies,” he stated.

On Obi’s decision not to engage his critics in verbal exchanges, the human rights activist described the approach as a deliberate political strategy that would enable the former Anambra governor to concentrate on communicating his agenda directly to Nigerians rather than being distracted by political attacks.

He maintained that Obi should sustain his campaign message and allow Nigerians to assess the competing political arguments, adding that responding to every criticism could divert attention from issues affecting the electorate.

 Uzuegbu therefore urged the NDC presidential candidate to remain focused on his campaign, expressing the belief that the people’s decision, if freely and fairly expressed, would ultimately matter more than the political calculations of governors and other powerful interests.