Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has urged leaders and communities in the country’s South-East geopolitical zone to abandon expectations of producing a president in the 2027 elections, emphasizing instead the need for regional collaboration and support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Speaking during a public address, the minister acknowledged long-standing aspirations for a South-East presidency but stressed that such an opportunity would not materialize in the next electoral cycle. His remarks came in response to online claims alleging that Tinubu’s government had marginalized the region in infrastructure and development initiatives.
“Politics is in the air, and some individuals have chosen deceit as their strategy,” Umahi said, characterizing critics of the administration as opportunists minimizing progress. He accused detractors of overlooking ongoing infrastructure projects spanning Nigeria, including the South-East, and announced that regional directors in his ministry had been instructed to audit and publicize updates on both inherited and new developments. This initiative, he explained, aims to demonstrate transparency and counter misinformation about governance priorities under Tinubu.
The minister framed equitable infrastructure investment—such as road networks, bridges, and public utilities—as central to fostering national cohesion and restoring public trust. “Those who open their eyes will see the light of change,” he stated, advocating patience and unity. On the contentious issue of the South-East’s presidential ambitions, Umahi struck a pragmatic tone. “We must not deceive ourselves this time,” he cautioned, urging constituents to rally behind Tinubu. To solidify what he described as a political “partnership,” he called for the region to deliver at least 90% of its votes to the ruling party in future elections.
Umahi warned against divisive rhetoric and “politics of hate,” arguing that cross-regional solidarity was essential for the South-East’s eventual ascension to Nigeria’s highest office. “If we seek to lead, we must first support others,” he said, adding that reciprocal backing from other zones would follow in due time. While reaffirming confidence in the South-East’s future prospects, he clarified, “Our time will come, but it is not 2027.” The minister also echoed calls for Tinubu to serve a full eight-year term, positing that stability and continuity would benefit national development.
The remarks underscore simmering debates over power-sharing and representation in Nigeria’s multi-ethnic democracy, particularly as regions jostle for influence ahead of the next election. Analysts note that Umahi’s stance reflects a strategic alignment with Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress party, which seeks to consolidate support in the South-East amid lingering tensions over resource allocation and political inclusion. For now, the administration’s infrastructure drive appears positioned as both a governance priority and a tool for bridging regional divides.
