The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has declared that while the South-East will produce Nigeria’s president in the future, 2027 is not the region’s time.
He made the statement while urging Igbos to throw their weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, stressing that support for the incumbent is in the South-East’s best interest.
Umahi’s comments were contained in a statement issued in response to an online report titled “The Politics of Asphalt: Why is the South-East Missing from the Map?”
The article questioned the Tinubu administration’s commitment to infrastructural development in the region. But the former Ebonyi State governor dismissed the report as “misleading and inaccurate.”
He said the publication was an attempt to falsely portray the Tinubu-led administration as marginalizing the South-East, insisting that the President has been equitable in project distribution.
“Some persons have chosen to deceive the public and pretend to be champions of the people while ignoring the selfless infrastructure development Mr. President is doing across the country,” Umahi said.
Umahi maintained that the Ministry of Works under his watch has been active in all zones, including the South-East, and has instructed all regional directors to return to sites and compile updates on ongoing and inherited projects. He said this would enable Nigerians to see firsthand the scale of the administration’s commitment to infrastructure.
He emphasized that Tinubu’s development strategy is based on national unity and fairness.
“Mr. President is using fair distribution of infrastructure to reunite Nigerians and renew their hope,” Umahi stated, adding that only those “willing to open their eyes” will see the impact of Tinubu’s leadership.
While admitting that politics is gaining momentum ahead of 2027, Umahi urged the South-East to remain strategic and patient.
“Our turn will come, but not in 2027,” he said firmly, signaling a call for the region to back Tinubu’s second-term ambition in the interest of long-term political calculations.
