Who Is David Umahi? How Can You Open Your Mouth And Say We Are Not Qualified To Be President? -Opara

Maxwell Opara, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for the Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency seat in Imo State, has criticised remarks questioning the ability of people from the Southeast to become president of Nigeria.

Opara expressed his displeasure during a recent interview on Symfoni TV on Monday, October 12, 2026, where he addressed issues surrounding political representation, ethnic inclusion, and the right of Nigerians from every region to aspire to the country’s highest political office.

During the discussion, the NDC candidate questioned the position attributed to certain political figures who have suggested that the Southeast is not qualified to produce a Nigerian president. He argued that such views undermine the principles of equal political participation and disregard the rights of citizens to seek leadership positions regardless of their ethnic background.

Reacting to the controversy, Opara specifically mentioned David Umahi while challenging the reasoning behind statements he considered dismissive of the political aspirations of the Igbo people.

In his words, “Who is David Umahi? How can you open your mouth and say we are not qualified to be president?”

His remarks reflected his disagreement with any suggestion that the Southeast should be excluded from the possibility of producing Nigeria’s president. He maintained that political leadership should be determined by the democratic process rather than assumptions about the suitability of people from a particular ethnic group.

Opara also drew attention to Nigeria’s history of leadership, noting that politicians from different parts of the country have occupied the presidency at various times. Against this background, he questioned why the Southeast should be regarded as less qualified to produce a president than other geopolitical zones.

The federal constituency candidate further expressed concern about the role of Southeast political leaders in defending the interests of their people. He argued that elected officials and influential politicians from the region have a responsibility to protect the constitutional rights of their constituents and support their legitimate political aspirations.

According to Opara’s position, leaders should encourage political participation and promote equal opportunities for their people instead of making statements that could be interpreted as discouraging them from pursuing the presidency.

He maintained that ethnic identity should not be used as a basis for determining whether an individual is qualified to become president. Rather, he argued that Nigerians should have the opportunity to contest for the office in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and the established electoral process.

Click on the link to watch the video from 55:11 – 55:17

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