Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the leader the Igbo people have been waiting for since the end of the Nigerian Civil War, while expressing confidence that the South-East will support his re-election in 2027.

Kalu made the remarks on Saturday during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women’s Empowerment Rally held in Enugu State.

He said Tinubu had demonstrated genuine commitment to the South-East, arguing that the President’s actions towards the Igbo community dated back to his time as governor of Lagos State.

According to the Deputy Speaker, no Igbo-owned property was confiscated and no Igbo businessman was arrested during Tinubu’s administration as governor.

He also recalled that Tinubu appointed Ben Akabueze, an Igbo indigene, into his cabinet while serving as governor of Lagos State, describing the appointment as an indication of his inclusive leadership.

Kalu said the Igbo people had waited for nearly 60 years for successive Nigerian governments to fulfil the promises of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reintegration made after the civil war.

He argued that successive administrations failed to adequately fulfil those commitments, leaving the South-East waiting for meaningful political inclusion and development.

The Deputy Speaker, however, identified the establishment of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) under Tinubu as evidence of the President’s commitment to addressing the region’s longstanding developmental challenges.

He noted that the commission’s establishment followed years of legislative efforts before the bill was eventually signed into law by the President.

Kalu also highlighted ongoing road and bridge projects, scholarship opportunities and other government interventions as reasons the South-East should support Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

He urged residents of the region to reciprocate what he described as the President’s support by voting for him in the 2027 presidential election.

The Deputy Speaker further called on the people of the South-East to support Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, insisting that the region should maintain its political alliance with the current administration.

He also argued that the Igbo should not accept a four-year presidential arrangement, saying the region had waited for decades to produce a Nigerian president and should eventually be entitled to a full eight-year tenure.

Kalu maintained that supporting Tinubu at this stage would strengthen the region’s political relationships and advance its interests in national politics.