Olushola Omogbehin
The Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty, Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, has admonished Nigerian politicians against neglecting governance in pursuit of political unions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Addressing the people of Anambra at the 2025 Ofala Festival in Onitsha, he said while millions of Nigerians continue to grapple with hunger, poverty and insecurity, the political class have shifted their attention toward 2027.
As costs of living continue to rise despite ongoing economic reforms, Achebe said that neglecting governance for political ambition could further increase hardship and instability across the nation.
“The attention of the political class has become literally diverted to the 2027 general elections. New alliances are being forged as political fortunes rise and fall. There is a distinct impression that these efforts are largely for the self-preservation and material benefit of those in the game. Ordinary Nigerians are paying the price of neglect as hardship deepens nationwide despite ongoing economic reforms.”
Using World Bank report, the monarch noted: “Our poverty rate has risen from 40 percent in 2018 to 46 percent in 2023, translating to about 104 million Nigerians now classified as poor. The reality on the ground is dire. The unending violence in most parts of the country continues to affect the agricultural sector very seriously.”
While the Monarch acknowledged that Federal Government was implementing “laudable macroeconomic stabilisation measures,” he called authorities to make sure there is transparency and fairness in distributing palliatives to poor citizens.
On the state of insecurity in the South East region, he said:
“The scourge of violence and kidnapping in the South East continues to mutate in different forms. We pray that the recent conviction in Finland of Simon Ekpa will contribute to the general reduction of violent crime in the region,”
According to a report by SBM Intelligence titled Four Years of Disruption, Achebe said the South-East economy had lost about ₦7.6tn since 2021 due to insecurity and the sit-at-home disruptions.
He lamented that this is a moment of deep reflection among Ndigbo because according to him, Nigeria and the world are leaving the Ndigbo behind due to the deliberate actions of a few purveyors of violence in the region.
On the Anambra off-cycle governorship election slated for November, Achebe called for peace, transparency and voter participation. He also lamented the low turnout recorded in the ongoing voter registration exercise.
“In the first week of the INEC registration exercise, only 2,482 persons pre-registered online across four South East states, excluding Anambra, compared to 848,359 in the South West. This is alarming and demands urgent mobilization by our leaders,” he said.
The 2025 Ofala Festival makes it the 24th Ofala celebration of Achebe since he ascended the throne of his ancestors in 2002,
