It’s Not Yet Igbo Turn for Presidency — Umahi Declares, Snubs Obi

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said the South-East will eventually produce Nigeria’s president but maintained that the region’s turn has not yet arrived.

Umahi made the statement on Thursday in Benin City, Edo State, while speaking at the “Operation Rescue Benin-Asaba Road” event.

The former Ebonyi State governor was responding to questions surrounding his political position and comparisons between him and Peter Obi, the former Anambra State governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Umahi said such comparisons should be considered against their respective family backgrounds, intellectual capacity, records in public service and contributions to the South-East.

“And when that guy says that Peter Obi is not my match, it took me ten minutes to think about it; is it in my larger family background that his is better than my own? Is it in intellectual capacity? Is it in what we have done for the people of South-East? Is it what we did when we were governors?” he said.

Umahi also described Obi as “a lucky person” while discussing the former Anambra governor’s political profile and support base.

On the question of when an Igbo person would occupy the presidency, the minister said there was no question that the South-East would eventually produce a president, but argued that he believed the opportunity currently belonged to Tinubu.

“What we are saying is that it is not the turn of Igbos yet… we will one day become president but it is not yet our turn, it is the turn of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Umahi said.

His comments come after he had earlier criticised the prospects of Obi in the 2027 presidential election and called for stronger political engagement with people in the South-East.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, Umahi had urged political and community leaders in the region to explain what he described as the achievements of the Bola Tinubu administration to residents.

“The more we educate our people, the less votes Peter Obi will get. Peter Obi cannot win in 2027. It is important for the leaders of the South-East to be bold, vocal and speak to our people, the Igbos, about what President Tinubu has done and is doing for the Igbos,” he said.

Umahi also defended his decision to support Tinubu and praised Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo for publicly backing the President.

“I support the Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, for his boldness in supporting the President. People should stop insulting supporters of the President; people should be allowed to support him,” the minister said.

He further argued that the Tinubu administration had made significant interventions in the South-East through federal appointments, political inclusion and infrastructure projects.

“No other President has done what President Tinubu has done for the South-East, whether by appointment, inclusion or projects,” he said.

Soludo has also confirmed that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is cooperating with the Tinubu-led Federal Government and the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the arrangement as a partnership focused on development.

“So far, ours is a partnership that works, a partnership between APGA, the federal government, and the APC, it’s a partnership that works,” Soludo said.

APGA has also endorsed Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election and resolved not to field its own presidential candidate, following consultations with its National Executive Committee.

Umahi’s latest comments came as he discussed the rehabilitation of the Benin-Asaba dual carriageway. He announced that the Federal Government would redesign the 136-kilometre road using reinforced concrete pavement as part of efforts to improve the route.

The minister also spoke about the financing of federal road projects, saying the government would provide part of the funding while loans would cover the balance and be repaid through tolling.

“The Federal Government is providing 30 per cent of the funds and the remaining balance is from loans which will be payable by tolling,” Umahi said.

He also raised concerns about vandalism and dangerous driving on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, alleging that some people were removing iron used for road demarcation and stealing manhole covers.

“People cut the iron we used for demarcation, remove manhole covers and even overspeed. This is unacceptable,” he said.