A former chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Sam Amadi, has ignited fresh debate over the South-East’s prospects of producing Nigeria’s president, suggesting the region may never attain the office.
In a post shared on X on Friday, March 27, Amadi argued that the South-East faces slim chances of securing the presidency in upcoming election cycles, including 2027, 2031 and 2035.
He urged the region to prioritise economic development and expand its influence both within Nigeria and internationally, rather than focusing solely on political power.
“May be South-East has no chance at all, whether in 2027, 2031 or 2035 , just as Jews never have in the US. We can focus on building South-East and prospering across Nigeria and the world,” Amadi wrote.
The policy expert also questioned the value attached to Nigeria’s highest office, describing it as a platform often used for personal gain.
“By the way, what has been the worth of Nigerian presidency? Just another opportunity for some people to steal a varnishing wealth as they are doing now,” Amadi added.
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His remarks were made in response to an earlier post by X user, Demola Olarewaju, who contended that the South-East has lacked a clear path to the presidency since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999.
Olarewaju argued that other regions have had more viable routes to power, either through national appeal or political strategy.
“Not my place to say, and I won’t. I’ll just add that a Yoruba has two pathways to Presidency in Nigeria since 1999:
“You can be a nationalist like Obasanjo and win; you can still be an ethnocentrist like Tinubu and win.
“South-South got a chance by mistake/fate, South-East has never,” Olarewaju wrote.
Amadi’s comments have since stirred conversations around regional politics, representation and the evolving dynamics of Nigeria’s presidential race.