BY AHMED AKANBI
Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chekwas Okorie, has called for a generational shift in Nigeria’s political leadership, warning against the continued dominance of elderly politicians ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Okorie, founder of the Igbo Agenda Dialogue (IAD), stated this in Abuja while announcing the group’s endorsement of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 general elections.
He said the endorsement followed an assessment of leading contenders based on leadership records, commitment to public service, concern for Nigerians and capacity to manage the country’s affairs.
According to him, Nigeria needs a president with the energy, capacity and fresh ideas to address its mounting challenges.
Okorie said the group also weighed candidates’ performance in previous public offices and their ability to lead a diverse country like Nigeria.
He expressed confidence that Obi would offer a different approach to governance, noting that the former Anambra State governor enjoys support across ethnic and religious lines.
The IAD Executive Secretary, Jonathan Elendu, said the South-East has a history of building political alliances with other regions in pursuit of national unity and stability.
He recalled the partnership between the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) led by Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, and the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), which contributed to the formation of the government led by Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa after independence.
Elendu also cited political cooperation during the Second Republic and the South East’s support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the return to civilian rule in 1999.
He said those alliances reflected the region’s longstanding efforts to build bridges beyond its geographical and ethnic boundaries.
The group said its endorsement of Obi was informed by its assessment of the candidates and its conviction that Nigeria needs a new direction in leadership.