Aba, Abia State – February 15, 2026 — The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has successfully addressed the long-standing marginalisation of the South-East geopolitical zone through landmark infrastructure investments, appointments and policy interventions, effectively bringing the region into the mainstream of national development for the first time in decades.
The former Ebonyi State governor made the assertion yesterday while inspecting ongoing reconstruction work along the critical Alaoji axis of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway in Abia State. The 180-kilometre dual-carriageway project, awarded at a cost exceeding ₦200 billion, is one of several federal road contracts in the South-East that have either been completed, substantially progressed or newly awarded since the Tinubu administration assumed office in May 2023.
Speaking to journalists at the project site, Umahi listed several concrete achievements he said demonstrate the president’s commitment to equity and inclusive development:
- Award of the second Niger Bridge access roads and the full reconstruction of the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway
- Accelerated work on the Owerri–Onitsha dualisation and the Aba–Ikot Ekpene road
- Award of the long-abandoned 52-kilometre Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene section
- Commencement of the coastal rail line from Lagos through the South-East to Calabar
- Appointment of several South-Easterners into strategic federal positions, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Comptroller-General of Customs, and key roles in ministries, departments and agencies.
- Release of funds for the second runway at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, and major upgrades at Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri
“President Tinubu has ended the marginalisation of the South-East,” Umahi stated emphatically. “For the first time in the history of this country, we are seeing federal presence in every local government area of the five South-East states. Roads, bridges, rail, airports, appointments — the president has shown that no part of Nigeria will be left behind under his watch.”
The minister, however, used the occasion to deliver a blunt political message to the region’s leaders, traditional rulers, religious figures, youth groups and ordinary citizens. He urged the South-East to rally at least 90 per cent of its votes for President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election as a demonstration of appreciation and political maturity.
“We must learn to be patient and politically strategic,” Umahi said. “It is not yet our turn to produce the president of Nigeria. We must support the man who has remembered us when others forgot us. Ninety per cent support for President Tinubu in 2027 is not too much to ask. It is the minimum we should give in return for what he has done and what he will continue to do.”
The minister’s call for overwhelming electoral support comes amid ongoing debates within the South-East about the region’s political strategy ahead of 2027. While some stakeholders argue that the zone should field its own presidential candidate to press its demand for the presidency in 2031, others — including several governors and influential business figures — have publicly aligned with the Tinubu administration, citing visible federal projects and appointments as evidence of good faith.
Umahi also addressed criticisms that the South-East has been short-changed in federal infrastructure spending compared with other zones. He dismissed such claims as outdated and politically motivated, pointing to verifiable contract awards and ongoing construction sites across the five states.
“Look at the facts on the ground,” he continued. “The second Niger Bridge was completed under this administration. The Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, which had been abandoned for years, is now receiving serious attention. The coastal rail project will open up the entire South-East and South-South to commerce. These are not promises — these are ongoing realities.”
The minister further appealed to the people of the region to remain peaceful and supportive of federal initiatives, warning that violence, sit-at-home orders and other forms of disruption only hurt the South-East’s own development prospects.
“Let no one deceive you that agitation or violence will bring development,” he said. “What brings development is partnership, dialogue and support for a government that is already delivering. The president has shown he listens and he acts. Let us reciprocate that goodwill in 2027.”
The inspection tour also took Umahi to sections of the Aba–Ikot Ekpene road and other ongoing federal projects in Abia and neighbouring states. Contractors at the various sites expressed satisfaction with the steady release of funds and technical support from the Federal Ministry of Works, noting that work has accelerated significantly since mid-2025.
Public reaction to Umahi’s remarks has been mixed. Supporters praised his candour and willingness to acknowledge the president’s interventions, while some commentators criticised the call for 90 per cent support as unrealistic and potentially divisive. Others questioned whether infrastructure projects alone can substitute for addressing deeper historical grievances, including equitable political representation at the highest level.
The Minister of Works, who governed Ebonyi State between 2015 and 2023 before joining the Tinubu cabinet, has consistently positioned himself as a bridge-builder between the South-East and the federal government. His comments yesterday are likely to fuel further debate on the region’s political calculus ahead of the next general elections.
As work continues on the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway and other priority projects, the South-East’s response to Umahi’s appeal — and the eventual voting pattern in 2027 — will provide the clearest indication yet of how the region intends to navigate its relationship with the Tinubu administration.
