Benjamin Kalu Claims Igbo Will Give Tinubu Over 70% Of South-East Votes In 2027

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, says President Bola Tinubu will receive massive support from the South-East in the 2027 presidential election.

Benjamin Kalu, who made this statement during an event held in his honour on Friday in Ntalakwu, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, predicted that over 70 percent of voters in the South-East will back Tinubu.

According to him, Tinubu has earned the trust of the Igbo people by being the only Nigerian president to follow through on long-standing promises made to the region after the civil war.

He said past leaders failed to honour those commitments, but Tinubu stood out by signing the South East Development Commission (SEDC) bill into law, a move aimed at addressing the needs of rural communities in the region.

Kalu said, “No other president has remembered the promise made to Igbo people after the war like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Fifty years came and passed, administrations came and passed; none of them deemed it right to fulfil those promises made to Ndi Igbo, and only President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took it upon himself and said there must be a platform to respond to those proposals made to Ndi Igbo.

“And he chose the South East Development Commission, which no other president accepted to sign. He answered our problem to enable us to develop the rural communities in Igboland. He signed the SEDC bill into law and has funded it even when naysayers said he won’t.

“He loves Ndi Igbo, and we Igbos remember those who love us. We are promising the president 70 to 80 percent of votes from Igboland. Let us continue to remain as people that love peace and unity.”

He added that Tinubu not only signed the SEDC bill into law in July 2024, but also released funding for it — something many doubted would happen.

The lawmaker encouraged the South-East to remain united and peaceful, and to support a president who, according to him, is committed to their progress.

Kalu, who was the main sponsor of the SEDC bill, has consistently praised Tinubu for backing the initiative. Back in April, he urged the Igbo to “invest” their votes in Tinubu’s reelection bid.

In the 2023 election, Tinubu received only 127,605 votes (5.8%) in the South-East, while Labour Party’s Peter Obi dominated with over 1.9 million votes (nearly 90%). Whether that trend will shift in 2027 remains to be seen.

KanyiDaily recalls that Kenneth Okonkwo, former spokesperson for the Labour Party’s presidential campaign, said that opposition parties will need to come together if they want any chance of defeating President Bola Tinubu in 2027.