We strongly condemn President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s apparent attempt to create a wedge between the South-East and the South-South geopolitical zones. Nigerians have seen this strategy before, and it has never served the cause of national unity. It is a desperate political tactic designed to divide people who share common interests and aspirations.
The people of the South-East and South-South are politically enlightened. We refuse to be manipulated into becoming instruments of our own political marginalisation.
Before seeking to lecture anyone about national unity, President Tinubu should answer legitimate questions about the pattern of appointments under his administration. Many of the country’s most strategic positions, including key security and economic institutions, have been filled in ways that have generated widespread concerns about regional imbalance and adherence to the constitutional principle of federal character.
Instead of building confidence through inclusiveness, the administration has been accused of concentrating influence within a narrow circle, leaving many Nigerians with the impression that merit, fairness and national balance have taken a back seat to political and regional considerations.
Equally troubling is the widespread perception that while Nigeria continues to accumulate substantial public debt in the name of all Nigerians, the benefits of major infrastructure and development spending have not been distributed equitably across the federation. Every region deserves its fair share of national investment, and no part of the country should feel excluded from the dividends of economic development.
Rather than addressing these legitimate concerns, the administration appears determined to distract Nigerians by encouraging suspicion and division between regions that should be working together in pursuit of justice, equity and true federalism.
Let there be no mistake—we are not fools. We recognise divide-and-rule politics when we see it, and we reject every attempt to set the South-East against the South-South for political gain. Our future lies in solidarity, mutual respect and a shared commitment to good governance.
We will judge every government by its record—its commitment to fairness, constitutionalism, inclusiveness and equitable development—not by divisive rhetoric or political overtures.
Nigeria deserves a leader who unites rather than divides; one who governs for every Nigerian, regardless of ethnicity, religion or region. Any attempt to weaken the bonds between the South-East and South-South for electoral advantage will be firmly resisted and unequivocally rejected.
Elder Delly Ajufo
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