Former Chairman of Obingwa Local Government Area in Abia State, Hon. Ibe Michael Nwoke, has dismissed the recent endorsement of President Bola Tinubu by a group identifying as the Southeast Local Government Forum.
Nwoke, a former Abia State Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) Chairman, described the endorsement as an illegal and self-serving political “cash out” staged for personal gain.
Nwoke’s remarks follow a recent visit by the group to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, in Umuahia, where they pledged support for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Nwoke, reacting to the gathering, said the so-called Southeast Local Government Forum lacks any legitimacy or credibility to speak on behalf of former local government chairmen in the region.
“There is no recognized or constitutionally backed forum representing former local government chairmen in the Southeast. What we’re seeing is a group of individuals using the name of the region to seek political favour and personal gain,” Nwoke said.
He condemned their attempts to portray a false image of regional consensus on the 2027 presidency, describing Tinubu’s endorsement at Kalu’s residence as deceptive.
“No one appointed them to speak for us. Their statements do not reflect the pain, the hardship, or the concerns of the people they claim to represent. These are political actors staging a performance, not leaders advancing the public good,” said the former Abia ALGON chairman.
He urged Deputy Speaker Kalu to focus on governance and the pressing needs of the Southeast rather than engaging in such political “pageantry.”
A former Umunneochi LGA Chairman Frank Osita, who led the supposed endorsement, claimed to have unified grassroots leaders behind Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” with the blessing of Deputy Speaker Kalu.
But Nwoke said the gathering is a thinly veiled attempt to stage-manage political relevance at the expense of the challenges facing the region.
He accused the group of using the Tinubu endorsement as a transactional tool, enabled by the Deputy Speaker.
“This so-called forum should not be taken seriously. It is nothing more than a mouthpiece for political convenience. We must redirect our focus to real leadership, people-centered policies, and the restoration of hope for our region,” he said.
