Umahi: Obi is not better than me ahead of 2027

Umahi, the Minister of Works, has denied claims that he is not in the same league as the presidential aspirant of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Party, Peter Obi, saying there is no way Obi, who was once a governor of Anambra State, could surpass him in anything.

The statement was made by Umahi Thursday in Benin City during an event tagged, ‘Operation Rescue Benin-Asaba Road’. In addition, he said it was not time for the Igbo to give Nigeria its president, stressing that President Bola Tinubu should be allowed to continue.

The minister said comparisons between him and Obi should be based on their family backgrounds, intellectual capacity, records of service and contributions to the South-East.

Reacting to comments by one Awuzi, who he said had accused Igbo people of insulting Obi, Umahi said he did not believe any reasonable person would insult the former Anambra governor.

He, however, described Obi as “a lucky person” and defended members of the Tinubu administration against criticism from those challenging the President’s record.

Umahi said: “If you are challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the president is working and is using us to work and you expect us to keep quiet, we are not keeping quiet.

“When you condemn people, you bring judgement upon yourself. When you say you are holier than angels, we have to analyse to know if it is true.”

The minister also rejected the suggestion that Obi was not his “match”, challenging those making such comparisons to identify areas in which the former Anambra governor was superior to him.

He said: “Is it in my larger family background that he is better than my own? Is it in intellectual capacity? Is it in what we have done for the people of the South-East? Is it what we did when we were governors?

“So, when you say he is not a match, put it side by side and tell me what Peter Obi is better than Dave Umahi.”

On the presidency, Umahi said the Igbo would eventually produce a president but argued that the time was not yet right.

“What we are saying is that it is not the turn of Igbos yet. I heard today one charlatan was saying, ‘Oh no, the Igbos can never be president.’ We will one day become president, but it is not yet our turn; it is the turn of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.

Benin-Asaba Road

On the condition of the Benin-Asaba Road, Umahi said the Federal Government had begun temporary intervention to address the deplorable state of the road.

He said the concessionaire had rejected three options proposed by the government for continuation of the agreement, but added that the setback had opened the way for a new approach.

According to him, President Tinubu had directed that the 136-kilometre dualisation of the road be redesigned with reinforced concrete pavement.

“The President has directed, whether under concessioning or under the takeover of the Ministry of Works, that the entire 136km dualisation should be redesigned on reinforced concrete pavement,” Umahi said.

He added that immediate intervention would be carried out on the Benin Bypass.

Umahi also clarified that no contractor had been awarded the emergency rehabilitation of the road, saying the Ministry of Works had instead hired equipment belonging to contractors operating along the corridor for the temporary intervention.

The minister said the equipment included those belonging to Hitech, CECC and CBC, with more equipment being sourced for the exercise, which he said was expected to continue over the next four weeks.