The Works Minister says his South-East campaign is based on facts, while dismissing calls for a public debate with Adams Oshiomhole over federal road projects

Minister of Works, David Umahi, on Friday defended his campaign for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, saying his appeal to South-East voters is based on facts rather than an attempt to attack supporters of Peter Obi, popularly known as Obidients.

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Umahi made the remarks in a video interview shared on Facebook by Alex Oguta, as criticism continued over his increasingly outspoken political advocacy ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The former Ebonyi State governor said he had taken the backlash in his stride, suggesting that the intensity of the reaction showed that his message was having an impact.

“I saw what they said to me; they have been insulting me, but you know, I enjoyed this honestly, because it shows that what I’m doing is touching them,” Umahi said.

He acknowledged, however, that some Obidient supporters had raised their objections more constructively, particularly over his repeated comments about Obi and the 2027 political contest.

“There are some of them that are also reasonable. They say, you only say this, that you’re attacking people,” he said.

Umahi rejected that interpretation, insisting that his objective was to persuade Nigerians, particularly people in the South-East, to support Tinubu’s bid for another term.

“I say no, I’m not attacking people. I’m asking people in South-East and Nigeria to vote for President Bola Tinubu. And I have my facts,” he said.

The minister’s position is consistent with his recent public advocacy for the Tinubu administration.

In June, Umahi argued that ongoing federal infrastructure projects in the South-East demonstrated the administration’s commitment to the region and urged residents to support the President in 2027. (TheCable)

The political exchange has also extended into a debate over governance records and infrastructure delivery.

Umahi previously challenged former Anambra State governor Peter Obi to a public debate on their records in office.

Obi subsequently questioned the relevance of such a debate, arguing that presidential debates should involve candidates contesting the presidency.

Umahi, through his media aide, later maintained that his proposed discussion was intended to focus on governance, leadership and measurable achievements rather than electoral politics. (Punch Newspapers)

In the latest interview, however, Umahi said he would not engage former Edo State governor Adams Oshiomhole in a public debate over an uncompleted federal road project, citing their longstanding relationship and Oshiomhole’s seniority in governance and the legislature.

“They said I should go and debate with Oshiomole. I cannot debate with Oshiomole; I can reason with him. He’s my senior in governance. He’s also my senior in legislature. And he’s my very good friend,” Umahi said.

The dispute centres on the federal road corridor linking Lokoja, Benin and Warri, which Umahi said was awarded in 2018 while Oshiomhole was still governor of Edo State.

“But the road he’s talking about was awarded, you know, that stretch from Lokoja, you know, down to Benin, down to Warri, was awarded in 2018 when he was still in office. You know, I expected him to have constructed part of that federal road,” Umahi said.

The minister said he was not raising the issue as a personal complaint, but as a comparison with his own approach to federal infrastructure while serving as governor of Ebonyi State.

“You know, I’m not complaining, but because when I was governor, I did a lot of federal roads. I didn’t complain,” he said.

Umahi’s comments come against the backdrop of increasingly active political positioning ahead of the 2027 elections, with the minister emerging as one of the more vocal members of the Tinubu administration in the South-East.

His advocacy has also drawn criticism from supporters of Obi, whose political movement retains a significant following in the region following the 2023 presidential election.

The renewed political contest has increasingly centred on competing claims over governance, infrastructure and the performance of public officials.

Umahi has repeatedly pointed to major federal road projects as evidence of Tinubu’s development agenda, while critics have continued to question the pace and quality of infrastructure delivery.

President Tinubu has publicly praised Umahi’s performance as Works Minister, describing him in July as an outstanding and hardworking minister who has shown a strong commitment to delivering durable roads and bridges. (State House)

For Umahi, the political argument is ultimately about persuading voters rather than confronting opponents.

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As the 2027 election approaches, his comments suggest that the battle for political influence in the South-East will increasingly be fought through competing narratives over development, performance and the direction of the country.