Presidency: Umahi Tells Obi, Igbos To Wait Till 2031

…Surprise As Tinubu’s Minister Upends APC Zoning Logic

…Lists Tinubu’s Achievements in South East

By Franklin Adole

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has urged the South-East to exercise patience in its quest for Nigeria’s presidency, insisting that it is not yet the region’s turn to produce the nation’s next leader.

Speaking with the media in Abuja on Sunday, Umahi maintained that political fairness and continuity demanded that President Bola Tinubu complete his constitutionally guaranteed eight years in office before any southern zone — including the South-East — could rightfully seek the presidency.

“No, it is not our time yet,” he declared. “Before the 2023 elections, the 17 Southern governors met in Asaba and resolved that the presidency must shift to the South. We all tried, but the crown came upon President Bola Tinubu. He is from the South, and so it is wrong for the South-East to now claim it is their turn.”

According to him, Tinubu’s presidency represents a collective mandate for the entire southern bloc. “He has to finish his eight years. The eight years he’s serving are for all of us, both South and North. When he completes his term in 2031, then the South-East, which has never tasted the presidency, can vie for it.”

Umahi said other zones such as the North-East would also be qualified to contest at that time, stressing that true equity and rotation must be anchored on fairness and order. “When the time comes,” he assured, “we have sons and daughters in the South-East who are eminently qualified to lead.”

The minister acknowledged the region’s long history of political marginalisation but argued that President Tinubu had brought a new sense of inclusion. “The truth is, the South-East was neglected for years. That’s why it was difficult for us to deliver APC in 2023,” he explained. “But now, President Tinubu doesn’t care where you come from. He treats everyone fairly.”

In the 2023 general elections, the APC polled only 5.85 percent of total votes in the South-East, a performance Umahi attributed to “lingering feelings of unfair treatment” in past administrations.

He, however, defended Tinubu’s record in the zone, citing massive infrastructure investments running into hundreds of billions of naira. “The position of Minister of Works is like holding five Grade A ministries combined. The President has committed over ₦350 billion to projects from Enugu to Onitsha, including ₦202 billion for MTN projects and ₦150 billion through CBC,” Umahi said.

He listed several ongoing projects in the South-East, such as:

•Port Harcourt–Aba Road (86km)

•Aba–Umuahia dual carriageway (56km x2)

•Umuahia–Lokpanta (6km) and Lokpanta–Enugu (61km x2) — all worth over ₦100 billion

•Enugu–Abakaliki dualisation (₦183 billion)

•Trans-Sahara Highway from Ebonyi to Benue boundary (₦456 billion)

•Afigbo–Uturu–Okigwe Road (₦193 billion) under Dangote Tax Credit Scheme

He also mentioned new flyovers and bridges in Enugu and Ebonyi states, including those damaged by the 2023 floods, which the federal government has now awarded for reconstruction.

“Tell me what else the President should do,” Umahi asked rhetorically. “If he is connecting our bridges between Cross River and Ebonyi, building flyovers in Abakpa and Obinagu, and repairing collapsed infrastructure, then we have every reason to be grateful.”

While admitting that there had been “minor funding delays,” he assured that contractors had returned to sites across the region after receiving firm commitments from his ministry.

Umahi emphasised that the South-East must balance pride with pragmatism, acknowledging both historical grievances and present realities. “Yes, we can compete with any zone, but we must be sensitive to what is happening now. We should be clapping with our hands and legs for President Tinubu,” he said.

The minister described his own appointment as a mark of presidential confidence in the region. “My position as Minister of Works is not just an appointment; it’s an opportunity to deliver for the entire country,” he added. “And by the grace of God, we’re doing that.”

In his closing remarks, Umahi reiterated his belief that the South-East’s turn will surely come, but not before 2031. Until then, he said, “loyalty, gratitude, and unity” should define the region’s political posture.

“The South-East must be patient. Our time will come. For now, we owe President Tinubu support and appreciation for what he is doing for our people,” he concluded.