Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has stated that while the South-East will eventually produce Nigeria’s president, 2027 is not the time, urging the region to instead support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
In a statement responding to a recent report titled “The Politics of Asphalt: Why is the South East Missing from the Map?”, Umahi dismissed the publication as misleading and politically motivated, accusing its authors of attempting to create division and falsely suggest the Tinubu administration is sidelining the region in infrastructural development.
“I understand that politics is now in the air and the chosen path by some persons is to deceive unsuspecting members of the public… and close both eyes pretentiously over the great and selfless infrastructure development Mr. President is doing all over the nation,” the minister stated.
‘Tinubu is uniting Nigeria through infrastructure’
The former Ebonyi State governor insisted that President Tinubu is pursuing a fair and balanced distribution of infrastructure across Nigeria — regardless of electoral support.
He revealed that he has instructed regional directors of the Ministry of Works to return to project sites nationwide and compile reports on both inherited and new projects so Nigerians can “appreciate the huge works” being undertaken.
“President Tinubu is using fair distribution of infrastructure to reunite Nigerians and renew their hope,” Umahi said. “Only those who open their eyes will see the light of change in Nigeria.”
2027 presidency not for South-East
On the question of political representation, Umahi acknowledged the aspiration of the South-East to produce a Nigerian president, but maintained that 2027 is not realistic, considering current dynamics.
“The South-East will produce Nigeria’s president someday, but not in 2027,” he emphasized, urging the region to focus on supporting Tinubu’s leadership and the development initiatives under his administration.
The statement appears to be part of a broader effort by the Tinubu government to counter growing political agitation from the South-East and reassure the region of its inclusion in national planning — especially with rising scrutiny over infrastructure equity and political zoning ahead of the next general election.
