By John Alechenu
ABUJA
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has claimed that the South-East did not benefit from any federal project during his previous political career until the administration of President Bola Tinubu, which he said had deliberately integrated the region into the country’s development agenda.
Umahi made the claim at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, where he listed ongoing federal projects in the South-East as evidence of what he described as the Tinubu administration’s commitment to the region.
The minister said: “I was party chairman, I was deputy governor, I was governor, and no single federal project came to the South-East. And today, we are having a barrage of projects.”
He acknowledged that the South-East might not rank among the regions receiving the highest volume of federal projects but said it was no longer at the bottom.
“We may not be first, second or third in terms of volume of projects across regions, but we are not the last. And if we are not the last, it is something to beat our chest about,” Umahi said.
He said the development demonstrated what he described as Tinubu’s deliberate effort to integrate the South-East into the affairs of the country.
Umahi also described his appointment as Minister of Works as part of the administration’s deliberate approach to the region.
“Never in the history of this nation has somebody from the South-East become Minister of Works. This is very intentional, because the President has the intention to develop the South-East, and that is what I am doing,” he said.
The minister, who began his remarks by condoling with families of victims of Monday’s Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, said he believed national unity was linked to what he described as the administration’s policy of inclusion.
“This is what we have been waiting for — full integration of the people of the South-East in the affairs of the nation,” he said.
According to Umahi, the alleged exclusion of the region in previous administrations had contributed to disunity.
“The continuous exclusion of the South-East in the affairs of the nation can never bring unity to this country. So there is unity now. We are happy,” he said.
Umahi attacks Obi over economic claims
The minister also criticised opposition figures, particularly former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, accusing them of making promises he considered unsupported and of portraying the South-East negatively.
Umahi questioned Obi’s reported claims about savings during his tenure as Anambra governor, describing the argument as poor economics.
“What kind of economics allows you to borrow money from financial institutions, spend some and return the rest, and say you are saving?” he asked.
He also referred to his participation in meetings of the South-East Governors’ Forum during his tenure as Ebonyi deputy governor, when Obi was governor of Anambra State.
“You can’t come out now and deceive our people and say they are just talking. We have had a lot of crises in the South-East, a lot of insecurity, and nobody consoled them,” Umahi said.
The minister also defended Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo following criticism over Soludo’s challenge to claims concerning Obi’s debt record while in office.
Umahi said Obi should not have expected Soludo to remain silent after what he described as claims about the financial record of the former governor’s administration.
“You provoked Soludo. Soludo has not gone into your files. But you cannot say you did not borrow any money and had no debt, and expect the man to shut his mouth,” he said.
Umahi urged people of the South-East to continue supporting Tinubu, saying such support could encourage reciprocal political support in the future.
“This is the right time. Let us have a handshake across the Niger, so that when our time comes, we will also be supported. Igbo land is not second-class,” he said.
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