The Southeast All Progressives Congress Renewal Movement has raised concerns about the potential impact on President Bola Tinubu’s political standing in the region, accusing Minister of Works David Umahi of undermining crucial infrastructure projects.
According to SARM’s National Coordinator, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, Umahi’s actions are putting the completion of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway at risk, a vital 110-kilometer road being built under the MTN Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme.
Okechukwu alleged that Umahi had issued an unnecessary stop-work order, disrupting the smooth progress of the project. He expressed disappointment that the South-East, which had benefited from the nationwide RITCS scheme, is now facing setbacks due to the minister’s actions, which he described as damaging to the region’s development. SARM also pointed to recent traffic issues, including a fatal oil tanker explosion, as consequences of the halted construction.
In response to the allegations, Umahi dismissed the claims, stating simply, “shame on them.” SARM has called on President Tinubu to investigate the situation, emphasizing that delays in the road project could negatively affect voter mobilization efforts in the region ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Okechukwu rejected any claims that Umahi was acting on the president’s instructions and suggested that political opponents were using the issue to stoke divisions.
Okechukwu further criticized Umahi for removing key components of the project, including the 9th Mile Flyover and security features like solar lighting. He argued that Umahi’s actions defy logic and impede the project’s intended progress. SARM also questioned where the minister, who had previously failed to secure funds to repair a collapsed bridge on the Enugu-Port Harcourt road, found the resources to threaten revoking MTN’s N202 billion contract for the expressway.
Okechukwu urged President Tinubu to intervene, calling Umahi’s actions an “unholy assault” on the South-East and stressing the importance of maintaining the region’s economic development. He also reiterated SARM’s commitment to promoting Tinubu’s initiatives, including the proposed South-East Development Commission, which aims to improve infrastructure across the region. “Mr President, this intervention is vital for the unity and progress of Ndigbo and the success of your administration,” Okechukwu added.
Despite the controversy surrounding the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway project, Umahi expressed strong confidence in President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027. Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Phase 1 at the Eko Hotel in Lagos, Umahi affirmed that Tinubu’s achievements and determination would secure his re-election, describing it as “ordained by God.”
Umahi, a two-term governor of Ebonyi State, emphasized Tinubu’s contributions to the South-East since taking office in 2023, asserting that the region would fully support the president in the upcoming election. He pointed to several significant federal projects initiated by the Tinubu administration across the South-East and other parts of the country as evidence of the administration’s commitment to development.
“We have no reason to stop the work, but we have every reason to do the right thing, and it is not peculiar to that job; that is what we are doing in all the projects,” Umahi said, referencing projects such as the Enugu to Abakaliki road, the Afikpo-Abia-Okigwe road, and other major infrastructure initiatives. He also expressed confidence that the South-East would provide overwhelming support for Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is going to have 99 percent of the votes of the South-East because he has been very nice to the people of the South-East,” Umahi declared.
In a related development, former Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufai has called for political alliances and coalitions across party lines ahead of the 2027 general elections. Speaking during a condolence visit to the family of the late Niger Delta advocate, Edwin Clark, el-Rufai stressed the importance of rebuilding historical alliances between the North and South-South to address Nigeria’s challenges.
El-Rufai, who has been meeting with opposition party members in recent weeks, emphasized the need for a “rescue operation” to address the country’s pressing issues. He highlighted the traditional political partnership between the North and South-South in previous decades and called for a return to such alliances.
Former Akwa Ibom State governor Obong Victor Attah also raised concerns about Nigeria’s political landscape as the 2027 elections approach. Speaking at the commissioning of a road project in Kwara State, Attah warned that the current constitution must be reformed before the next general elections. He argued that heightened political tensions could lead to instability and emphasized the need for a new constitution that reflects national unity, equity, and justice.
Attah’s comments highlighted ongoing concerns about Nigeria’s governance system and its ability to address the nation’s challenges.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu and members of the Hope Uzodimma-led Progressives Governors Forum, along with the National Working Committee of the APC, are set to determine a date for the party’s long-awaited elective convention. Key matters to be discussed during the upcoming meetings include preparations for the Anambra governorship election and strategies for fundraising to support the party’s operations.
The meetings will be held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, with key political figures such as former President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and others in attendance. The meetings are expected to address the APC’s 2025 budget proposal, membership registration, and the party’s overall strategy for the 2027 elections.
Former APC national vice-chairman Salihu Lukman criticized the omission of key items, such as the formation of the APC Board of Trustees (renamed the National Advisory Council), from the upcoming NEC agenda. Lukman accused the NWC of monopolizing decision-making within the party, arguing that many of its actions violated the APC Constitution and the 1999 Nigerian Constitution. He also expressed concerns about the lack of inclusivity in decision-making within the party.
Lukman, who resigned from the APC in protest last year, called for greater adherence to democratic principles and inclusivity within the party.
