Habila’s Death: Tinubu Shuns Calls For Umahi’s Sack, Tells Him: ‘’Dave, Go and Build More Roads”

By Adesina Soyooye

For those urging President Bola Tinubu to either suspend or sack the Minister for Works, Dave Umahi, over the death, at his Uburu, Ebonyi State couutry home, of a Nurse, Mary Habila, they might as well jump into the Atlantic by the Lagos- Calabar Highway which construction Umahi is leading.

Recall that the Nurse, a staff of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, who was seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works, specifically, to attend to the Minister and his immediate staff, suddenly died on May 15, while she was at the staff quarters within the Minister’s country home.

Since then, all kinds of allegations have been made, particularly, against the Minister. There have been, also, all kinds of speculations as to why and how she died.

Without proof, accusing fingers have indirectly been pointed at the Minister.

An infuriated and mourning Umahi was forced to tell his own side of the story including his relationship with Habila. He debunked the report that she was a physiotherapist; he revealed he was a Nurse seconded to the Ministry of Works; he revealed that  she (and others) lived in his staff quarters in Abuja; she disclosed that he regarded Habila as his daughter; he revealed that Habila had always had Health issues and was a regular patient at the Turkish Hospital, Abuja, and that he and his family had been picking her bills. On April 5, for example, he paid to the hospital the sum of N2.2 million. He revealed that her boyfriend was the last person that spoke to her before she died, a fact her  boyfriend also confirmed.

He said more. Habila was a devoted, competent and disciplined staff.

Because of the indirect allegations, Umahi has stood against her funeral and insisted that there must be an autopsy before any funeral. But Habila’s family  insists otherwise. His father insists that she be buried; that he wanted no autopsy; and that nobody was responsible for his daughter’s death. He also said he knew that his daughter was attached to the Ministry of Works.

Inspite of Umahi’s explanations, nothing has calmed down. At least, one association has gone to Court over Habila’s death. Not a few are calling for an independent probe.

An exasperated Umahi has threatened Court action against anybody associating him to, and/or with Habila’s death.

In the midst of all these, not a few associations and individuals have urged the President to either suspend pending an investigation, or drop Umahi from his Cabinet.

In all that, President Tinubu has kept a dignified silence. But no longer.

According to Minister Umahi, some people had  been putting pressure on the President that he be dropped from the Cabinet. But Umahi revealed President  Tinubu’s response.

Speaking at a public function, Umahi confirmed that there were pressures on the President  to drop him at his most troubling period. But according to Umahi, the President ignored them and encouraged him to focus on his job.

Umahi: “After the death of my staff, some people urged Mr. President to sack me. Instead, he told me, ‘Dave, go and build more roads’. The President’s response demonstrats confidence in my leadership and commitment to the ongoing road infrastructure projects being executed by the Federal Ministry of Works.”

Meanwhile, Habila’s body is still in the mortuary. Speculations are that the remains have been moved from Ebonyi State to Abuja.