Minister of Works, David Umahi, said President Bola Tinubu has done well for the South-East zone and would be voted in 2027.
Umahi stated this at a news briefing on Wednesday in Abuja.
He highlighted what he described as the president’s inclusive governance and massive infrastructural investments in the South-East zone,a thing the region has been excluded from in past administrations.
According to the minister, the Tinubu-led administration has ended what he called years of exclusion of the South-East and had deliberately integrated the zone into national development plans, particularly in infrastructure and security.
He said the South-East leaders were agitating that it was their time to be president noting that while that was understandable they should however allow President Bola Tinubu to complete his eight tenure.
Umahi declared, “If I have never been president since, is it Bola Tinubu that will make it overnight by ceding his own position?
“No, he has to complete his two tenures. We are comfortable with what he is doing.
“We have been included, and so, we cannot talk about marginalisation alongside with other zones. People talk about the effect on civil war.”
Umahi said the inclusion being enjoyed by the region presently was a step in the right direction by the government to right the wrongs.
He added, “It is the right step. Whatever that went wrong, he has the capacity and the good heart to redeem it. It wasn’t just Southeast.
“South-South is part of it. So, I want to boldly say that there is no need for Biafra agitation. We are better in Nigeria.
“President Bola Tinubu has done very well for South East and we will vote for him come 2027.”
Umahi said that looking at the nation’s resources in all regions and the need to unite ,anybody calling for Biafra was not being wise.
The minister said, “I am very bold to ask our people to speak out.Let the leaders be bold to speak out.
“We cannot keep quiet while people that don’t have economic knowledge and the knowledge of our administration will be darkening counsel without knowledge.”
The minister used the occasion to respond to recent comments credited to Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, who questioned the level of federal presence and support for the South-East under the current government.
He explained that Abaribe’s claims were inaccurate and failed to reflect the scale of projects approved and ongoing in the region.
While saying that Abaribe spoke from an opposition standpoint, Umahi said it was necessary to set the records straight on behalf of the government.
He said, “I boast, and I will continue to boast, that all South-East governors are supporting Mr President because of the inclusive governance he has provided,”.
The minister reeled out several projects he said demonstrated the administration’s commitment to the South-East.
These include the establishment of an Army Training Depot in Ebonyi state to tackle insecurity, the operationalisation of the Enyimba Power Plant, and the appointment of strategic security chiefs from the zone.
Umahi also listed major road and bridge projects, including sections of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, the Trans-Saharan Road passing through Ebonyi, Enugu and Benue states.
He also listed the Second Niger Bridge bypass, the Enugu–Abakaliki dual carriageway, Enugu–Onitsha Road, Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, and the completion of key bridges and flyovers in Enugu State among others.
He said many of these projects were either fully funded or have received substantial advance payments, stressing that some had stalled for decades before the current administration revived them.
Umahi rejected allegations of procurement violations in the award of the Lagos-Calabar-Costal Highway project by Abaribe and urged him to familiarise himself with the provisions of the Procurement Act.
He said all due processes, including Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), stakeholder engagement and international evaluations, were followed.
According to him, international financiers, including the Dutch Development Bank, endorsed the project, describing it as properly packaged, high quality and even undervalued.
“The project was oversubscribed by international financiers. These are not people you deceive,” he said.
The minister urged South-East leaders to speak out against misinformation and incitement, stressing that constructive criticism should be based on facts.
He argued that while no region in Nigeria is completely free from challenges, the South-East has made significant progress and should engage nationally rather than pursue separatist agitation.
The minister added that Nigerians, regardless of region, should respect local laws and cultures wherever they live, stressing that Nigeria belongs to all citizens equally.
Umahi reaffirmed his confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership, expressing optimism that by the end of his tenure, Nigeria would be more united, stable and economically stronger.
“The journey has just started, and we believe strongly in this administration. The South-East is better in Nigeria,” he concluded.
