The Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has urged Peter Obi to drop his 2027 presidential ambition and support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The RMRDC chief reportedly argued that Obi should allow the southern region to complete its eight-year presidential tenure before power returns to another region.
The appeal comes amid growing political discussions over the 2027 presidential election and the question of power rotation between Nigeria’s North and South.
RMRDC DG Says Obi Should Join APC
Speaking at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Monday, RMRDC Director-General, Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, also encouraged Obi to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said the move would give the former Anambra State governor an opportunity to participate in the party’s policy discussions and contribute to its development agenda.
Ike-Muonso acknowledged Obi’s contributions to national discussions on public spending, accountability and economic management. However, he argued that political leaders must sometimes prioritise collaboration over personal ambitions.
He maintained that Tinubu should be allowed to complete a second term, which he said would enable the South to finish its eight-year presidential tenure before power returns to the North.
RMRDC DG Links Appeal to Economic Development
The RMRDC chief also called on political leaders to focus on policies that would create jobs, strengthen local industries and diversify Nigeria’s economy.
He linked his argument to the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which he said could support industrialisation, local raw-material processing and domestic manufacturing.
According to him, Nigeria must reduce its dependence on exporting unprocessed commodities and increase the value of its natural resources through local production.
The council is also promoting initiatives to encourage investment in processing facilities and industrial clusters across the country.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Constitution does not formally require presidential power to rotate between the North and South. However, zoning has remained an important political consideration among major parties since the return to democracy in 1999.
As political discussions intensify ahead of the 2027 general election, Ike-Muonso’s appeal adds to the debate over regional power rotation, political alliances and competing presidential ambitions.
