By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Just smarting from the deafening controversy arising from the unfortunate death of Mary Habila, at his Uburu, Ohaozara Local Council of Ebonyi State country home, Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, on Friday, insisted that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, should abandon his ambition, and rather queue behind President Bola Tinubu.
Umahi characteristically remained adamant that the former Labour Party 2023 presidential candidate may be on another wild goose chase as the South East region votes alone can not make him president.
On an inspection tour of the Ebonyi State section of the Cross River/Abuja Super Highway, the Minister emphasized that Obi, no matter what he thinks, needs the support of other regions to become the president of Nigeria.
This is as he urged South Easterners, including political leaders, to quickly subscribe to what he described as “strategic politics” which demands that the region aligns with others for the purpose of maximizing benefits.
According to him, the South East, as one and indivisible political bloc alone, cannot determine who occupies the presidency.
Umahi appealed to the region’s leaders, stakeholders and electorate not to waste their votes in 2027, but to strategically align with President Tinubu so as to sustain the tempo of the ongoing infrastructural development in South East.
“Our brother, Peter Obi, is contesting for the presidency of the entire country, not the presidency of the South East .
“The votes of the South East alone cannot produce a president. We must be strategic. We should not insult people because they hold contrary opinions” he admonished.
The Works Minister insisted that the South East should show appreciation for the unprecedented federal presence being enjoyed under the present Federal Government , noting that this is the first time, in many years, that the region is witnessing massive infrastructural facilities, including roads.
Umahi is of the firm belief that the president Tinubu-led administration has been more than fair to, and accommodating of, the South East region in terms of the siting of visible development projects.
He maintained that both completed and ongoing projects have served to stimulate meaningful economic activities and engender growth and development.
The Minister claimed that several thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities have been created in the region due to ongoing massive development projects .
Umahi who stoutly defended the Federal Government’s much criticized borrowing culture insisted that the funds are being used to drive infrastructural development that will serve future generations.
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