says Tinubu deserves eight years to complete programmes
praises present govt for N350bn federal projects in Igboland
Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said that the South-East zone must exercise patience in its quest for Nigeria’s presidency, declaring that it is not yet the region’s turn to produce the country’s next leader.
Umahi stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
He emphasised the need for political fairness and continuity in 2027, referencing the good works President Bola Tinubu had been doing since assuming office in 2023.
He said, “No, it is not our time; it is not the time of the South-East yet. We, the 17 Southern governors, met in Asaba before the 2023 election and agreed that, irrespective of political party, the next president should come from the South.
“All of us tried, but the crown came upon President Bola Tinubu. He is from the South, and so it is wrong for the South-East to now say it is their turn.
“No, he (Tinubu) has to finish his eight years. The eight years he took are for all of us, both the South and the North. So, he has to finish, and when he does in 2031, the South-East can then vie for the position since we have never had the opportunity before.
“The North-East can also vie for it, since they have not had the position before. I strongly believe that when equity and fairness have been established, rotation will become a thing of joy.
“So, for me, it is not yet the South-East’s time. And when the time comes, we have sons and daughters who are eminently qualified to contest for president.”
According to Umahi, there are people who are highly qualified and even better than those currently clamouring for the position.
The minister, however, admitted that the South-East had suffered some measure of marginalisation in the past, which, according to him, made it difficult for some governors like himself to deliver the zone for the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 general elections.
It was reported that the APC performed poorly in the 2023 elections in the South-East, with the entire zone delivering a paltry 5.85 per cent of the total votes to the party.
Umahi attributed the situation to what he described as the unfair treatment of the South-East people in the past.
“But right now, President Bola Tinubu does not care where you come from. He is treating everybody fairly.
“The South-East might say they did not get many appointments, but the position of Minister of Works is equivalent to five grade-A ministries.
“The question is, there was a time we (the South-East) had all sorts of appointments. Did that translate into infrastructural development? The answer is No.
“But even if we have only one, two, three, four or five appointments now, we are doing projects worth over ₦350 billion from Enugu to Onitsha under this president — ₦202 billion for MTN and ₦150 billion for CBC.
“We are spending ₦174 billion to construct the second access route in Anambra State, which is about 35 kilometres, and we are investing heavily to connect the South-East.
“Yesterday, I saw on social media that roads in Onitsha and Owerri had been cut into two. We have sent people there who are mobilising to do the work; the president has already awarded that project,” he stated.
Although the minister admitted that there had been some “little challenges” in funding, he said contractors had been assured that they would be paid and therefore should return to site.
He highlighted other roads currently under construction in the zone, including the Port Harcourt–Aba road (86 kilometres), Aba–Umuahia road (56 kilometres × 2), Umuahia–Lokpanta road (6 kilometres), and Lokpanta–Enugu road (61 kilometres × 2), all valued at over ₦100 billion.
He also mentioned the Enugu–Abakaliki dual carriageway, valued at ₦183 billion, as well as the Trans-Sahara road from Ebonyi to the Benue boundary, which he put at ₦456 billion.
“If the president is constructing the road from Afigbo to Uturu and down to Okigwe, cutting through Ebonyi, Abia and Imo, at ₦193 billion under the Dangote tax credit.
“If he is connecting our bridge between Cross River and Ebonyi within the Afikpo axis, and another between Cross River and the Ebonyi–Aduferegbe axis,
“Is it the Abakpa flyover the president is constructing? Or the Obinago flyover? Or the two bridges within Enugu that collapsed during the 2023 flood and have now been rebuilt by the president?
“So, we have no reason not to be grateful to the president. I do not know what else to ask for — and of course, we have the Chief of Naval Staff too,” he noted.
According to Umahi, while it is true that the South-East can compete favourably with other zones and that its people are capable of leadership, they should, however, be sensitive to the political realities on ground.
“Yes, acknowledge the past, but let us also focus on the realities of what is happening now,” he said.
Umahi said he could beat his chest for what President Tinubu had done for the South-East in the last two years.
“We should be clapping with our hands and legs for President Bola Tinubu. And the point remains that my appointment as Minister of Works is one appointment too many.
“This is because it is not just about the appointment; it is about what you have used it to do for the entire country,” he said.