Hon. Ikenna Azomchime, the South East Coordinator of the Obidient Movement has stated that after President Muhammadu Buhari completed his eight-year tenure, the presidency was expected to be zoned to the Southeast but this was disrupted by widespread resistance across the country.
Speaking during an interview on Trust TV from 12:10, Azomchime expressed disappointment over what he described as a breach of political fairness and equity in the country’s power rotation arrangement.
“Buhari, the president of Nigeria that was there, he ran it and he completed his eight years. Then the ticket was to go to Southeast. First of all, there was an outcry which finally we said “let it go” for the peace of the country,” Azomchime said.
He emphasized that there was a general understanding among many Nigerians that the Southeast, which has never produced a president since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, should have been next in line to produce a candidate for national unity and balance.
Azomchime’s remarks come amid growing discussions about equity, justice and inclusion in Nigeria’s democratic process especially as the country inches closer to the 2027 general elections. He hinted that such disappointments fueled the rise of the Obidient Movement which backed Peter Obi’s presidential ambition in 2023 as a symbol of Southeast representation and national reform.
Political observers believe that Azomchime’s comments reflect the lingering frustrations in the region and underscore the need for a more inclusive political arrangement. The Obidient Movement which has grown into a nationwide force continues to call for a new Nigeria built on justice, fairness and merit.
