Umahi: It’s Not Yet South-East’s Turn to Produce Nigeria’s President

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has urged the South-East region to remain patient in its quest for the Nigerian presidency, stressing that it is not yet the region’s turn.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Umahi underscored the importance of political fairness and continuity ahead of the 2027 general elections. He reaffirmed his confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, commending the administration’s performance since taking office in 2023.

Umahi recalled that before the 2023 elections, the 17 Southern governors met in Asaba and agreed that the presidency should shift to the South, regardless of political affiliation. He said that although many aspirants from the South contested, the mandate eventually went to President Bola Tinubu. According to him, it would therefore be wrong for the South-East to now claim it is their turn to produce the next president.

He said the South should allow Tinubu to complete his eight-year tenure, which represents a collective mandate for both the North and South, after which the South-East can make a legitimate case for the position in 2031. Umahi added that both the South-East and North-East, which have never produced a president, could then vie for the office when equity and fairness have been fully established.

The minister acknowledged that the South-East has faced some political marginalisation in the past, which affected the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s performance in the 2023 elections. The party, he noted, secured only 5.85 per cent of the total votes from the region. However, he insisted that President Tinubu has been fair to all parts of the country, regardless of ethnicity or political affiliation.

Umahi explained that although some people in the region believe they did not get enough federal appointments, the position of Minister of Works alone is equivalent to five grade-A ministries in terms of national importance. He cited ongoing infrastructural projects worth more than ₦350 billion across the South-East, including major highway reconstructions and bridge projects connecting Enugu, Onitsha, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Cross River.

He also highlighted key projects such as the Port Harcourt–Aba, Aba–Umuahia, and Enugu–Abakaliki roads, as well as the Trans-Sahara route linking Ebonyi to Benue State, with investments running into hundreds of billions of naira. According to him, these projects demonstrate the president’s commitment to regional development.

Although he admitted that there had been some funding challenges, Umahi assured that contractors had been asked to return to site as payments were being processed. He emphasised that the federal government remains determined to complete all ongoing projects in the zone.

He commended President Tinubu for his inclusive leadership and called on South-Easterners to appreciate the administration’s developmental strides. “Yes, acknowledge the past, but let us also focus on the realities of what is happening now,” Umahi said. “We should be clapping with our hands and legs for President Bola Tinubu. My appointment as Minister of Works is not just an opportunity for me but a chance to deliver for the entire country.”