Traditional rulers from across Igbo land, under the aegis of the Ndi Igbo Progressive Traditional Rulers Council, have pledged to deliver at least 70 percent of the South East’s votes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections. Led by their chairman, His Royal Majesty Eze Nnamdi Oforegbu of Abia State, the monarchs made this pledge during a courtesy visit to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, in Umuahia, Abia State. They expressed deep appreciation to President Tinubu for the creation of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), which they believe will fast-track infrastructure growth in the region.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Eze Oforegbu praised the president’s appointments of South Easterners to key positions and commended Kalu for sponsoring the bill that established the SEDC. He described Kalu’s efforts as unprecedented and assured the Deputy Speaker of their full support moving forward. The monarchs offered royal blessings to Kalu, praying for his political advancement and pledging that the South East would rally behind Tinubu with strong electoral support in 2027.
In his remarks, Deputy Speaker Kalu thanked the traditional rulers for their endorsement and reaffirmed President Tinubu’s commitment to inclusive governance. He noted that Tinubu’s appointments, including the Deputy Speakership, the Chief of Naval Staff, and the Minister of Works, reflected a genuine effort to integrate the South East into national leadership. Kalu emphasized that loyalty and visible political participation would continue to attract greater benefits for the region.
Furthermore, Kalu informed the monarchs that the National Assembly is working on formally recognizing traditional rulers with constitutional roles. He highlighted the vital contributions of traditional institutions to national unity, peace, and rural development. Kalu assured them that President Tinubu holds the traditional institution in high regard and stressed the importance of seeing political participation as an investment in the future of the region.
