- Umahi dismissed claims that Tinubu is marginalising South-East, saying the president is implementing equitable infrastructure development.
- The minister said 90% of abandoned projects awarded as far back as 2013 have been revived under Tinubu’s leadership.
The minister of works, David Umahi, has declared that the south-east region will eventually occupy the presidency, but ruled out the possibility of it happening in 2027.
Umahi made this assertion on Monday while addressing concerns raised in an online article titled, “The Politics of Asphalt: Why is the South East Missing from the Map?”.
Reacting through a statement, Umahi described the publication as a deliberate attempt to mislead Nigerians into believing that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is excluding the South-East from key infrastructure projects.
He“I understand that politics is now in the air and the chosen path by some persons is to deceive unsuspecting members of the public,” he said.
“Look good before the people as one fighting for them and close both eyes pretentiously over the great and selfless infrastructure development Mr. President is doing all over the nation.”
The minister disclosed that he has instructed the ministry’s regional directors to return to project sites nationwide and compile a comprehensive report of ongoing and newly initiated projects.
According to Umahi, this exercise will enable Nigerians to appreciate the scale of infrastructural work being executed by the Tinubu-led government across every region, without bias.
“President Tinubu is utilising infrastructure as a tool to reunite the country and rekindle hope among citizens,” Umahi added.
He emphasised that only those willing to see beyond political sentiments will recognise the progress under the current administration.
Umahi also demanded a retraction of the report and a public apology from its authors, insisting it misrepresented the facts.
“Where was the writer when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR decided to treat South-East fairly in road infrastructure like other regions?” he queried.
“Under his administration, 90% of abandoned projects, some awarded as far back as 2013, were all revived, and all are now ongoing,” he said.
Umahi itemised several high-value projects currently underway in the region, citing the ₦46 billion Second Niger Bridge access road in Delta State and another ₦176 billion project in Anambra.
He also mentioned the Enugu-Onitsha 208km road being funded through the MTN tax credit scheme at ₦202 billion, with CBC completing the remaining section at ₦150 billion.
“Just last week, ₦45 billion was released for the CBC section,” he revealed.
Other ongoing projects listed include the Enugu-Port Harcourt road, which is segmented into four portions, the Enugu-Abakaliki road, Afikpo-Abia-Imo road, Onitsha-Owerri-Aba road, Aba-Ikot Ekpene road, and the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road.
Speaking further, Umahi urged the South-East to support Tinubu’s re-election to secure the region’s political relevance.
“We must not be deceived again. Mr President must have the votes of the South East up to 90% to cement this relationship,” he said.
The minister called on political actors from the South-East to enlighten the populace, saying the politics of misinformation and bitterness will not pave the way to the presidency.
“If we want to be president, we must avoid the politics of hate, misinformation, and sentiments,” he stated.
Umahi advised that the South-East should show solidarity to other regions, believing that such goodwill will eventually be reciprocated.
“Mr President must be supported to complete his tenure of eight years, which all regions are benefitting from. One day, we will be number one, but not in 2027,” he added.
Umahi reiterated his commitment to standing against any falsehood aimed at misleading the South-East populace.
“We are known for hard work and love and not hate,” he said, while commending South-East governors for their developmental efforts.
Meanwhile, agitation for a South-East presidency continues to gather momentum ahead of the 2027 elections.
Former Anambra governor and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has already declared his intention to contest again in 2027.