Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi has urged
former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, to join the All Progressive
Congress.
He said the plea became necessary because all the governors
in the Southeast region are supporting President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He equally hinted that a section of the Lagos-Calabar
Coastal Highway is nearing completion and that users will have to pay a toll
starting in December.
He disclosed these in a feature interview for an upcoming
State House documentary marking President Tinubu’s second anniversary.
Umahi said that all South East governors support President
Bola Tinubu’s administration, regardless of their political affiliations.
According to the minister, the South East is witnessing a
new wave of federal attention and infrastructure development under President
Tinubu.
“The Igbo man is enterprising and blessed with God-given
wisdom. What Ndi Igbo seek is fairness, Nigeria that treats every zone equally.
That is what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing.
“Before, when I was governor and deputy governor, one of our
major concerns in Ebonyi State was the lack of federal presence. But today,
nobody remembers that issue anymore. Under President Tinubu, at least four
federal projects are ongoing in Ebonyi State.”
He noted that while cries of marginalisation used to
dominate conversations in the South East, the current administration has made
significant progress in addressing long-standing concerns about infrastructure
and appointments.
“Today, the South East has a Minister of Works for the first
time, and we’re seeing real projects—Port Harcourt to Enugu, Enugu to
Abakaliki, Enugu to Onitsha, Onitsha to Owerri, and the Second Niger Bridge.
The President has already paid 30 per cent of the cost of that bridge.
“All the governors in the South East, regardless of party
affiliation, are working with the President. We’re even planning a summit to
bring together all South-East leaders to endorse the President for the 2027
elections formally. We want our projects to be completed, the country’s unity
to be strengthened and proper integration of Ndi Igbo.”
Senator Umahi urged key regional opposition figures to align
with the President for the greater good of the South East.
“Leadership is not about self—it’s about the people. If
someone else is already doing what you would have done for your people, support
him. I call on my brother, His Excellency Peter Obi, to join us and work with
Mr. President.
“He must be part of this summit where we will collectively
endorse President Tinubu for the 2027 election. I say it boldly: the South East
is happy with the President”, he said.
Providing updates on four major national projects—the
Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the
Trans-Saharan Trade Route, and the soon-to-be-procured Ogun-Ondo-Niger
Corridor—Senator Umahi described them as transformative investments designed to
unlock Nigeria’s economic potential and deepen regional integration.
On the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Minister revealed
that over 80 per cent of Section 1—spanning 47.47 kilometres from Ahmadu Bello
Way to the Lekki Deep Sea Port and terminating at Eleko Junction—had been
completed. Work is also progressing on Section 2, which covers 55 kilometres
from Eleko Junction to the Lagos-Ogun border.
“By December, we will toll Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar
Coastal Highway. We project a 10-year return on investment. The road has
solar-powered lighting and CCTV infrastructure and offers carbon credit
advantages.
“It is more than a road—it is an economic corridor and a
catalyst for regional growth. We have completed 30 kilometres of Section 1 and
are on track to complete an additional 10 in Section 2. These are six-lane,
concrete-paved highways.
“Just days ago, we flagged off Sections 3 and 3B—65
kilometres in total—covering 38 kilometres in Cross River State and 27
kilometres in Akwa Ibom. The host communities’ excitement speaks to these
projects’ transformative impact.”
Commenting on the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the Minister
explained its historic significance, noting that the route was conceived during
the Shehu Shagari administration over four decades ago.
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