BY: CHARLES CHIJIOKE
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has urged people of the Southeast to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that votes from the region alone cannot secure the presidency for former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi.
Umahi made the declaration in Okigwe, Imo State, while speaking with journalists after inspecting the 65-kilometre Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe federal road project. The road is being delivered through the Federal Government’s tax-credit scheme, with Dangote Industries Limited sponsoring the project and Hi-Tech Construction handling the construction.
Afrilensnews reports that Umahi, who served alongside Obi as a governor and also contested the 2023 presidential election, urged the Southeast to adopt what he described as a strategic approach ahead of 2027, arguing that Tinubu has wider support across other regions of the country.
He appealed to the people not to repeat what he described as the political mistake of 2023, urging them to recognise the infrastructure projects being executed in the Southeast under the Tinubu administration.
“We need to stand up for the President, we need to stand up for this champion, we need to stand up for this man that says Nigeria belongs to all of us, that South East is part of Nigeria.
“And so, we will commit to appreciating him, to showing gratitude to come out of sentiments. Then I can assure you that more will happen,” Umahi said.
The minister, who acknowledged his personal relationship with Obi, said his decision to oppose the former Anambra governor politically should not be interpreted as a personal attack.
“South East must vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, South East must know that our vote alone cannot make our brother, His Excellency Peter Obi, to be President.
“No, we have to be strategic. And for those that misunderstand us, His Excellency Peter Obi is my friend and my colleague. We have been governors, he might be a senior one but governor is governor and we also contested presidential intention together. He didn’t get, I didn’t get.
“I am happy for the President I serve now that got it. And automatically by the reason of what he is doing all over the country, I continue to say to the people of South East, I am on the ballot.
“I am on the ballot because the ballot is about democracy, the ballot is about what you bring for your people,” he said.
Umahi was emphatic about his position, telling his supporters that he would continue to campaign for Tinubu despite opposition from people who hold different political views.
“I don’t insult my brother but I boldly say do not vote for His Excellency Peter Obi, vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Is there any crime in that? This is very important,” the minister declared.
He also criticised those who attack him over his political position, urging residents of the Southeast to tolerate divergent opinions and embrace democratic debate.
According to him, the Southeast cannot advance politically through intolerance, stressing that different opinions must be accommodated in a democracy.
The minister further linked his political position to the infrastructure projects being implemented by the Federal Government in the region, arguing that the projects should be judged by their impact on the people rather than political sentiments.
Meanwhile, Umahi disclosed that the Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe road project has made significant progress, with more than 20 kilometres already completed.
He identified a mountain measuring over 60 metres in height along the route as one of the most technically difficult sections of the project, noting that the area had historically contributed to fatal accidents.
“This mountain, by the command of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, must collapse for the people of South-East,” Umahi said.
“This place is very challenging. We have a mountain that is over 60 metres high. If God helps us in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to achieve this, this will be a major saving of lives for the people of South-East.
This place has consumed many lives,” he added. Umahi praised the contractor for the quality of work, particularly the concrete pavement being used on the highway, which he described as superior to construction methods adopted on some other major federal roads.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, Southeast, Barrister Chioma Nweze, also commended the Federal Government for prioritising major road infrastructure in the region.
Senator Nweze said the Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe highway would improve transportation, connect communities and markets, and stimulate commercial activities across Ebonyi, Abia and Imo states.
She listed the Enugu-Onitsha, Enugu-Port Harcourt, Enugu-Abakaliki, Abakaliki Trans-Sahara and Onitsha-Owerri roads among major Federal Government projects currently ongoing in the Southeast.
The political significance of Umahi’s statement could become more pronounced ahead of the 2027 presidential election, particularly given Peter Obi’s strong political base in the Southeast and his performance in the 2023 election.
Umahi’s appeal for support for Tinubu is likely to intensify political debate within the region over whether Southeast voters should prioritise regional solidarity or broader national electoral calculations.
The completed Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe highway is expected to provide an important transport corridor linking parts of Ebonyi, Abia and Imo states, improve access to markets and institutions, and ease movement along adjoining interstate routes.
