Former governors from Nigeria's South-East have formed a new coalition, the South-East Former Governors Forum, launched on April 7, 2026 in Enugu. The forum includes David Umahi, former governor of Ebonyi State and current Minister of Works, who spoke at the event. Other attendees were Sullivan Chime of Enugu, Martin Elechi of Ebonyi, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Chris Ngige of Anambra. Ambassador-designate to Greece Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Ambassador-designate to Spain Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu also attended. Some former governors, including Peter Obi, Ikedi Ohakim, and Chimaroke Nnamani, were absent due to medical trips abroad, but their attendance at future meetings is expected. The forum is open to all former South-East governors regardless of political affiliation. It aims to support current leaders through advice and collaboration. Umahi stated the group would "synergise" with serving governors and help communicate government achievements. The forum commended President Bola Tinubu for infrastructure projects and appointments of South-East citizens to key positions. It officially declared support for Tinubu's re-election, aligning with the stance of current South-East governors. Plans are underway for a courtesy visit to Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and engagement with the South-East Governors' Forum. The next meeting will hold within two weeks, with expectations of broader participation.
David Umahi, now Minister of Works and former Ebonyi governor, stands at the centre of a calculated repositioning of South-East political heavyweights, using the new forum not just as a platform for mentorship but as a vehicle for consolidating support behind President Tinubu's re-election bid. The timing and composition of the launch—complete with serving ambassadors and active political figures—suggest this is less about regional development and more about reinforcing a political alliance that benefits both the former governors and the current administration.
The praise heaped on Tinubu for infrastructure and appointments is not incidental. It reflects a strategic acknowledgment that federal goodwill has translated into visible projects in the South-East, a region long vocal about marginalisation. By aligning themselves with this narrative, the former governors position themselves as bridge-builders, leveraging their experience to legitimise the administration's efforts. The absence of dissenting voices like Peter Obi and Chimaroke Nnamani, while explained medically, underscores a selective unity—one that amplifies pro-government sentiment while sidelining alternative regional narratives.
For ordinary South-East residents, particularly the youth and business owners, this alignment could mean continued federal investment in roads, power, and job programmes—if political loyalty remains intact. But it also risks reducing regional advocacy to transactional politics, where development is tied to electoral support rather than systemic equity.
This move fits a broader pattern in Nigerian politics: the institutionalisation of ex-officials into loyalty networks that reinforce incumbency advantage, turning former leaders into enduring political operators rather than neutral elder statesmen.
