Why South-East Should Support Tinubu's Re-election — Umahi

The Minister of Works, Mr Dave Umahi, has urged the people of the South-East to support President Bola Tinubu's second-term bid, citing the Federal Government's infrastructure interventions in the zone.

Umahi made the appeal in Abuja on Tuesday while receiving the report of the North-West leg of the Nationwide Federal Roads Project Tour, conducted by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

He urged South-East leaders to be bold and vocal in educating their people on what he described as the benefits of supporting the Tinubu administration. "It is a strategic decision that we Igbos must make. And I commend the south-east governors and the governor of Anambra State for his bold decision. He is not afraid of telling our people the truth; the truth is that we must support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu," he said.

Comparing Past and Present Interventions

Umahi urged the South-East to weigh what the region has gained from successive administrations against the infrastructure and other interventions currently being undertaken by the Tinubu administration. He argued that marginalisation should be assessed not only through appointments but also through infrastructure delivery, maintaining that the Tinubu administration has broken longstanding patterns in areas where the South-East had previously voiced complaints of neglect.

"I call for debate. If you are insulting me, insult me constructively. Do not just empty talk. When I was governor of Ebonyi State for eight years, and now as Minister of Works, what have I done through the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?" he asked.

The minister further urged South-East stakeholders to back Tinubu now, so that other regions would reciprocate when it eventually becomes the zone's turn to produce the country's president.

Praise for Student-Led Project Inspections

Umahi commended the students who had requested independent access to Federal Ministry of Works project sites across the six geopolitical zones, noting that they declined logistics assistance offered by the ministry and insisted on unhindered access to inspect the projects themselves.

He described the initiative as a sign of responsible leadership, praising the students for choosing to engage directly with the projects rather than dwell on matters that would add little value to their future. He also welcomed civil society organisations that had expressed interest in monitoring the ongoing projects.

Expanded Road Network Under Tinubu

Umahi disclosed that the Federal Government has expanded its four legacy road projects from about 700 kilometres to approximately 1,150 kilometres, following a directive from the President. He cited the Sokoto-Badagry corridor, spanning 1,068 kilometres, and the Akwanga-Jos Road, a 135-kilometre stretch currently under construction, as case studies.

"Only about 30 per cent of it is constructed as new projects, mostly the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. In most cases, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is also passing through an existing road, and we expanded it," he said.

He listed additional projects, including the 156km Gombe-Bauchi Road, the 149km Bauchi-Jos Road, the new roughly 400-kilometre Ogoja-Calabar connection, and the Biu-Maiduguri corridor. According to him, the Bauchi-Gombe Road has been fully rehabilitated, while previously cut-off sections of roads in Bauchi and Jigawa states are being reconstructed using box culverts, rigid concrete pavement, and asphalt surfacing.

Funding Structure for Legacy Projects

The minister disclosed that the Federal Government is contributing 30 per cent of the funding for the legacy projects, with the remaining 70 per cent financed through foreign loans. He explained that these loans are structured around tolling the roads upon completion, with proceeds from the corridors used to recover and repay the funds.

Defending the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway

On the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Umahi defended the project against criticism, noting that a substantial portion of the corridor passes through the Niger Delta. He said the highway would traverse Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states, describing the project as significant to both the region and the national economy.