The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said long-standing concerns about marginalisation in Nigeria’s South-East have been addressed under President Bola Tinubu, expressing confidence that the region will deliver overwhelming support for the President in the 2027 general election.
Umahi made the remarks on Saturday while inspecting ongoing construction work at the Alaoji axis of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, one of several major federal road projects currently underway in the South-East.
According to the minister, the South-East geopolitical zone is yet to reach its turn to produce Nigeria’s president, urging political leaders and residents of the region to adopt what he described as a strategic and realistic approach to national power rotation.
“All the marginalisation we complain about has been addressed by the President. Unless we are not being truthful to ourselves, there is no more marginalisation in the South-East,” Umahi said.
He noted that Tinubu’s decision to appoint a minister of works from the South-East for the first time in Nigeria’s history demonstrated goodwill and confidence in the zone.
“Giving the Ministry of Works to the South-East is no mean feat. You can see the results and the intention of the President. You can see the goodwill of the President,” he added.
Umahi pointed to the scale of ongoing infrastructure development across the region, particularly the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, stressing that every section of the project is currently active.
“It’s time for payback. You all know the scale of work from Port Harcourt down to Enugu. Every section of this project is ongoing towards completion. Never in Nigeria’s history have we benefited as much,” he said.
The minister contrasted the current situation with his time as a former deputy governor and two-term governor, noting that no federal road project was executed in his state during that period.
“Today, we can boast of numerous ongoing projects. We can boast of projects worth trillions of naira in the South-East, just like in other regions,” Umahi stated.
He further described many of the ongoing projects in the zone as among the “biggest legacy projects” of the Tinubu administration, citing improved representation of the South-East in key national appointments, including service chiefs and strategic positions in government.
Calling on political leaders and voters in the region to rally behind the President, Umahi said sentiments should not override strategic political calculations.
“We should not be guided by sentiments or non-strategic moves. We should tell our brother, Peter Obi, that it is not yet our turn,” he said.
Umahi also assured the construction company handling the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway project of the federal government’s commitment to prompt funding, noting that the projects are expected to be completed ahead of President Tinubu’s planned tour of projects in the South-East and South-South regions in May.
