{
  "id": 9786861,
  "title": "Ndigbo should choose president without govs’ interference – Onaiyekan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/ndigbo-should-choose-president-without-govs-interference-onaiyekan-9786861",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-25T16:10:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/ndigbo-should-choose-president-without-govs-interference-onaiyekan/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan has urged the people of the South-East to be allowed to freely choose their preferred presidential candidate without interference from state governors. Responding to Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo's recent comments on how the Igbo should vote in the 2027 presidential election, Onaiyekan emphasized that voters should be allowed to make their own choices. He argued that governors, despite being elected representatives, should not dictate how citizens exercise their franchise during elections. Onaiyekan also advocated for reforms to Nigeria's electoral system, including a requirement that a presidential candidate secure at least 50 per cent of votes cast before being declared winner, and a more independent process for appointing INEC leadership.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Ndigbo should choose president without govs’ interference – Onaiyekan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/ndigbo-should-choose-president-without-govs-interference-onaiyekan",
        "published": "2026-09-25T15:42:40.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}