Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has said the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, does not pose a threat to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election, describing Obi as his brother and friend.
Umahi stated this while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, where he also said his position on integrating the South-East into the mainstream of the country had remained unchanged.
‘Peter Obi is my brother and friend. My position about integrating the Southeast into the main stream of the nation never changed as a governor,’ he said.
The minister recalled that while former President Muhammadu Buhari was in office, he publicly urged people in the South-East to support Buhari, despite backing former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in Ebonyi.
‘When Buhari was there I publicly asked the Southeast to give Buhari 25 percent while I gave Atiku 75 percent in my state,’ he said.
Umahi said the South-East should adopt a broad-minded approach to the 2027 election, noting that Peter Obi was not the only presidential aspirant from the region.
‘So my position has not changed; my position is that we should have a broad mind. Peter Obi is not the only Southeast candidate contesting; we have three other Southeast candidates that are contesting.
‘So Peter Obi is not a threat to APC. Talk is cheap and I’m saying what we are doing. I said what I did as governor of Ebonyi,’ he said.
He challenged presidential candidates seeking to lead the country to present evidence of their achievements at the community level while they held public office.
‘I’m saying any of these people that say they want to rule the country should open the video on how they developed their community when they occupied the position,’ Umahi said.