Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma announced that all five South-East governors have resolved to back President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. Uzodimma cited tangible federal infrastructure projects, including the South East Development Commission and regional rail restorations, as proof of the administration’s commitment to the zone.
South-East Governors Align Behind President Tinubu for 2027
The five governors representing Nigeria’s South-East region have unanimously decided to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign in 2027. Making the announcement in Owerri, Imo State Governor and Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum Hope Uzodimma explained that the political leadership reviewed the administration’s performance and concluded that the region benefits directly from the federal Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking before members of the Imo State Council of Elders and traditional rulers, Uzodimma emphasized that the zone’s support stems from visible infrastructure development rather than political rhetoric. The governors plan to undertake a joint courtesy visit to Abuja to solidify their partnership with the federal administration.
“We, the five governors of the South-East, have reviewed all options and decided that we will work with President Bola Tinubu because we want to be part of the Project Nigeria.”
Hope Uzodimma, Imo State Governor and Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum
Verifiable Infrastructure and Economic Interventions in the South-East
State officials pointing to regional development stressed that physical evidence separates the current administration from its predecessors. Central to this assessment is the establishment of the South East Development Commission, which was signed into law by President Tinubu on July 24, 2024, followed by the inauguration of its governing board in February 2025.
Transportation infrastructure improvements form a core pillar of the administration’s regional footprint. The federal government rehabilitated and commenced commercial operations on the Port Harcourt–Aba rail line, carrying passengers five days a week over 63 kilometers of restored track. Furthermore, the administration approved a $3 billion reconstruction of the Eastern Rail Corridor extending from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.
Road networks connecting the South-East have seen major investments, particularly phases 2A and 2B of the access roads to the Second Niger Bridge. These include dual carriageways linking Umunya, Ogbunike, Ogidi, Nkpor, and Asaba alongside seven bridges. Additional projects approved include the 108-kilometer Otuocha–Anam–Abaji Road and the 150-kilometer Oba–Nnewi–Uga–Ihube/Okigwe Junction Road.
Kogi State Infrastructure Projects and Local Impact Assessments
Beyond the South-East, federal and state projects in Kogi State have drawn praise from community leaders and assessment delegations. The Relax Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria
campaign, led by Nollywood actor and Deputy Director-General Zack Orji, concluded a three-day inspection tour highlighting public finance improvements and educational funding under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
In Kogi East Senatorial District, local officials inspected a 12-kilometer internal road project coupled with a 24-kilometer double-sided drainage network in Ankpa Local Government Area. Implemented via the World Bank-supported Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes project, the initiative includes land reclamation and erosion control. Kogi State Commissioner for Environment and Ecological Management Joseph Oluwasegun credited Governor Usman Ododo for maintaining counterpart funding.
“The World Bank will only release its funds when the state government provides its counterpart funds for compensation and other ancillary needs. Governor Ododo is one of the governors that do not default in the provision of counterpart funds.”
Joseph Oluwasegun, Kogi State Commissioner for Environment and Ecological Management
State auditor-general for local government Mark Okala noted that increased monthly allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee enabled the execution of these institutional projects.
Political Stakes and Governance in Imo State
While securing regional alignment for the 2027 presidential polls, Governor Uzodimma also addressed domestic political stability in Imo State.