‘It’s Not Our Turn Yet, Tinubu Must Finish 8 Years,’ Umahi Tells South-East

Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has declared that it was not yet the crook of the South-East to nutrient the country’s president successful 2027, urging the portion to workout patience and enactment the medication of President Bola Tinubu to implicit its 8 years successful office.

In an interrogation with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) successful Abuja connected Sunday, Umahi said the rule of fairness and governmental continuity demands that President Tinubu beryllium allowed to implicit his tenure earlier discussions astir powerfulness rotation resume.

“No, it is not our time; it is not the clip of the South-East yet,” Umahi said. “We, the 17 Southern governors, went to Asaba earlier 2023, and we agreed that the adjacent president should travel from the South, careless of governmental party. All of america tried, but the crown came upon President Bola Tinubu. He is from the South, and so, it is incorrect for the South-East to travel and say, oh, it is their turn.”

The curate stressed that the Tinubu presidency represents the corporate involvement of the full South and should truthful beryllium allowed to tally its afloat course.

“He has to decorativeness the 8 years. The 8 years helium took are for each of us, some the South and the North. So, helium has to finish, and erstwhile helium has finished successful 2031, the South-East tin present vie, successful the consciousness that they person ne'er tasted the presumption before,” Umahi stated.

“The North-East excessively tin vie successful the consciousness that they person not tasted the presumption before. I judge powerfully that it is erstwhile equity and fairness person been established that equity and rotation volition go a happening of joy.”

Umahi acknowledged that the South-East has faced humanities governmental marginalisation, which contributed to the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s mediocre show successful the 2023 elections successful the region, wherever the enactment secured conscionable 5.85%of full votes.

“It was precise hard for immoderate of america to present the portion for APC successful 2023 due to the fact that of the unfair attraction the South-East radical had suffered successful the past,” helium admitted.

However, the erstwhile Ebonyi State politician insisted that President Tinubu has been just successful his dealings since taking office.

“Right now, President Bola Tinubu does not privation to cognize wherever you travel from. He is treating everybody precise nicely,” helium said. “The South-East mightiness accidental they did not get a batch of appointments, but the presumption of the Minister of Works is equivalent to 5 people A ministers.”

Umahi listed respective large infrastructure projects presently being executed successful the South-East nether Tinubu’s administration, noting that they acold outweigh past governmental appointments that yielded small development.

He cited projects specified arsenic the Enugu–Onitsha dual carriageway (₦350 billion), Port Harcourt–Aba roadworthy (₦202 billion), Aba–Umuahia roadworthy (₦150 billion), and respective others including the Enugu–Abakaliki dualisation (₦183 billion) and the Trans-Sahara roadworthy from Ebonyi to the Benue bound (₦456 billion).

“If the president is doing from Afigbo to Uturu and down to Okigwe cutting done Ebonyi, Abia, and Imo for ₦193 cardinal done the Dangote taxation credits, and helium is connecting our bridges betwixt Cross River and Ebonyi, what much tin we ask?” Umahi queried.

He further mentioned ongoing works connected the Abakpa and Obinago flyovers, and the repair of 2 failed bridges successful Enugu damaged by the 2023 floods, among different projects.

“We person nary crushed not to beryllium grateful to the president. I bash not cognize what else. And of course, we person the Chief of Naval Staff too,” helium added.

Despite acknowledging immoderate “little challenges” with task funding, Umahi assured that contractors had been mobilised backmost to sites, expressing assurance successful the administration’s committedness to present connected its promises.

“We should beryllium clapping with our hands and legs for President Bola Tinubu,” helium enthused. “My assignment arsenic Minister of Works is 1 assignment excessively many, not conscionable due to the fact that of the position, but due to the fact that of what we person utilized it to bash for the full country.”

He urged the South-East to absorption connected consolidating ongoing advancement alternatively than agitating prematurely for the presidency.

“Yes, admit the past,” helium concluded, “but fto america besides emphasise the realities of what is happening now.”