OPINION: Tinubu, Southeast, And Deputy Speaker Kalu's Renewed Hope Partners - By Mike Ukoha

Like whirlwind, the gospel of Renewed Hope Partners (RHP) is spreading across the length and breath of the southeast. It is gradually becoming a rallying point for a better Nigeria, with a clear vision and a mandate. This is a wonderful platform created by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, CFR, to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in his transformational leadership and tends to rally support for Mr. President's second term in office. I am not surprised at the spate in which stakeholders in the southeast have been receiving this good news of hope and being partners since its unveiling late April, 2025. In fact, the clamour by many individuals to be part of this noble vision is something that melts the heart. Interestingly, the movement of renewed hope partners is also gradually spreading across to other regions of the country. Love him or loathe him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains a visionary politician who has the knack for excellence in governance. His positive political advancement and democratic vision have brought about mind-blowing economic reforms in our dear country.

Just like Nostradamus, the French seer, President Tinubu seems to have seen the future from the outset and what democracy portends for Nigeria. He is really working on the talk and delivering on his mandate. Therefore, he deserves whatever support one might want to offer.

As a region, it is time for people of the southeast to lay back and think, in comparison between previous administrations and the present led government of President Tinubu in order to ascertain which one has so far touched their lives. For instance, in Tinubu's administration, a Minister of Works from Igbo extraction was appointed. This is the first time in the history of Nigeria an Igbo man is being appointed in such a strategic position.

This administration, also, considered the importance of regional balance in the appointment of Service Chiefs and again, some one from the Igbo extraction was appointed as Chief of Naval Staff, with numerous other appointments of well meaning people from the region into various federal positions on the boards, departments and agencies of government.

Above all, at the National Assembly level, the Deputy Speaker's position was graciously zoned to the southeast. This is with regards to equity and fairness as exemplified by President Bola Tinubu.

Furthermore, since the end of the civil war in Nigeria, this is the first time in history the federal government saw the need to truly make the 3R's vision of reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation a reality.

The Managing Director of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), Mr. Mark Okoye corroborated this point during his briefing to mark the Commission's 100 days in office. He had explained that "since the end of the Civil war in 1970, no Nigerian President Military or Civilian had granted the South East's long standing request for a development commission which is focused on reconstruction and rehabilitation except President Tinubu who broke the 54 years jinx".

Indeed, the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), which Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, sponsored, championed, and lobbied under this administration, is the testament of President Bola Tinubu's efforts towards addressing the challenges of the southeast region. There is a need for the Commission to go a step further by ensuring that the vision and plan for a $200 billion regional economy is achieved through collaboration with the state governments and private sectors.

Despite the total rejection President Tinubu suffered in the southeast during the last election, he never used it as a yardstick against the region but merely saw it as a price one has to pay for a leadership role. He has ever since remained focused towards ensuring that the region is repositioned for good.

In addition, it is left for the people the southeast to key into the renewed hope vision of Mr. President by joining the Renewed Hope Partners and also embracing the developmental strides, which are gradually sweeping through the region under this administration for the betterment of all.

As the Renewed Hope Partners has been recently launched in Abia State, it is gradually gaining momentum; and in no distance future it will be launched in States such as Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra and across to other regions of the country. The vision is to see it being spread across the eastern states with strong based support. It has now become highly imperative for the region to join and become members of the Renewed Hope Partners and also help in promoting it in their states, at ward and unit levels and by doing so, the political dividends of the region will be much more.

Lastly, one good way of showing gratitude to President Tinubu on his numerous efforts for the people of Southeast is to key into his vision by joining forces with our dear brother, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, CFR, in his Renewed Hope Partners and support President Bola Tinubu's administration, bearing in mind that we have never had it so good in the past. As a people, partnering with Mr. President in his agenda through the Renewed Hope Partners will enable him to roll out more programs for the region as expected. It is said that one good turn deserves another, therefore our support to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will never be in vain; even a furtherance to his second term agenda should never be a second thought at all for the people of Southeast. It should be a vision in which we must all ensure there's huge support for it, and this is even as the region expects more from the federal government led administration.

As the Deputy Speaker is championing the cause and expanding the frontiers of the party and also winning the once doubting hearts back through the Renewed Hope Partners, we must join him in this political movement with courage for a paradigm shift in the Southeast.

Ukoha is a former Minority Whip Abia State House of Assembly.