By Enyinnaya Appolos
The hard truth is that political alliances are not built on emotion or morality alone. Politics is not a charity drive; it is a ruthless marketplace of interests, where political, economic, and ideological forces are strategically aligned. No matter the rhetoric, politicians and businessmen are not monks sworn to poverty or obedience. They operate within power blocs, regulatory minefields, and harsh fiscal realities.
It is therefore both naïve and absurd for anyone to presume they can dictate to a businessman where to invest, what to invest in, or when to move. Capital does not ask for permission; it calculates, it decides, and it acts.
The irony is staggering: the very same people who question businessmen over their political investments conveniently tolerate politicians who hop from one party to another without consequence. What audacity.
In every constitutional democracy, the starting point of any political argument must be the law. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) guarantees every adult citizen of voting age the right to freedom of association, the right to political participation, and the right to support and vote for any candidate of their choice.
That right is not selective. It is not ethnic. It is not conditional on social media approval. It is absolute within the bounds of the law.
Therefore, when businessmen such as Obinna Iyiegbu (Obi Cubana), Pascal Okechukwu, (Cubana Chief Priest), Cletus Oragwa (Zenco), and other Igbo entrepreneurs choose to align with the City Boys Movement, they are not committing a cultural crime; they are exercising a constitutional liberty, just as members of the Obidient Movement and other political groups have done. Members of the City Boys Movement are investing their time, money, networks, and influence in a candidate they believe aligns with their interests. That is how politics works globally.
The City Boys Movement is a political association championed by Seyi Tinubu, son of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The movement’s purpose is to mobilize support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Like every political pressure group in Nigeria’s history, it is structured to organize, campaign, and build networks of support. There is nothing illegal or unconstitutional about it.
Obi Cubana, in his capacity as the South-East Zonal Coordinator, has a clear political responsibility: to mobilize young Igbo entrepreneurs who believe in the Tinubu project, galvanize their support, and encourage them to align strategically behind President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027. The buses they lined up to begin their city and village mobilization for Tinubu were not purchased with state funds. They were provided by dedicated members of the movement who are matching their words with decisive action. This is not rhetoric or political theatre, it is clear, intentional, and undeniable commitment in motion.
More importantly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has effectively consolidated its presidential ticket around Tinubu. Political reality suggests that even before the party’s primaries, Tinubu remains the dominant and likely flag bearer of his party. That is a strategic advantage, not a moral offence.
In contrast, no other presidential aspirant can presently claim guaranteed control of any party’s presidential ticket. Until party primaries are concluded, such tickets remain aspirational, not assured. This is the hard truth. It is therefore logically inconsistent for anyone to vilify those who have chosen to invest, align, and strategically in a candidate whose party structure is already consolidated behind him.
One troubling dimension of the criticism, especially from segments of Peter Obi’s online supporters, is the attempt to frame the political choices of Igbo businessmen as betrayal. That argument collapses under basic democratic reasoning and the political rights of citizens.
It is important to emphasize that even if Peter Obi becomes the candidate of any political party, neither he nor his supporters possess the political, constitutional, moral, or customary authority to compel, coerce, or cajole anyone into supporting him against their will.
Support in a democracy is earned through persuasion, performance, and conviction, not through pressure, intimidation, or emotional blackmail. Every Nigerian retains the sovereign right to choose freely, and that right cannot be suspended or denied.
Political choice is individual, not tribal. The presidency of Nigeria is not the presidency of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. It is not an ethnic throne. It is a national contest. Reducing support for Tinubu through the City Boys Movement to an “Igbo betrayal” narrative is intellectually weak and politically immature. By that logic, every Nigerian must vote strictly along ethnic lines, a dangerous proposition in a multi-ethnic federation.
If Mr. Obi or any other aspirant enjoys support across ethnic lines through the Obidient Movement, that is celebrated as national appeal. Why then must Igbo businessmen be denied the same freedom to support a Yoruba candidate? You cannot demand national politics and practise ethnic politics simultaneously.
Supporters of Peter Obi, or any other aspirant, instead of dragging those that have made their choices, should channel their energy into organization and mobilization rather than online intimidation. If political mobilization through family influence is objectionable, then critics should ask: why shouldn’t Peter Obi’s son, like Seyi Tinubu, form a similar movement to galvanize youth support for his father’s aspiration? Critics of Igbo City Boys members must understand that politics rewards organization, not outrage.
It is sheer ignorance to believe adults can be coerced into supporting a presidential candidate against their will. Democracy is persuasion, not compulsion. Those attacking Seyi Tinubu or members of the City Boys Movement are not defending democracy; they are contradicting it. You cannot preach freedom and practise intimidation. You cannot demand tolerance while denying others the same liberty.
Zenco, Obi Cubana, Cubana Chief Priest, and other Igbo businessmen have every constitutional, moral and customary right to support President Tinubu’s reelection through the City Boys Movement. They are not betraying anyone. They are exercising their freedom. And in a democracy, that freedom must be defended, even when we disagree with how it is used.
I rest my case.
