Works Minister David Umahi has reignited his political disagreement with former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, questioning claims about Obi’s standing in the South-East and insisting that comparisons between them should consider their records in public office, intellectual capacity and contributions to the region.
Umahi made the remarks on Thursday, September 24, during the Operation Rescue Benin-Asaba Road event in Benin City, Edo State, where he responded to comments suggesting that Obi was not his political match.
The minister challenged the basis for placing Obi above him, arguing that their respective backgrounds, achievements and service to the people of the South-East should form part of any assessment.
According to Umahi, the comparison should go beyond political popularity and consider what both men accomplished during their time as governors.
The remarks add another chapter to the increasingly visible political differences between the two former governors as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election. While Umahi has aligned himself with President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, Obi remains a prominent opposition figure with a substantial political following.
Umahi also defended his support for Tinubu, making it clear that he would not remain silent when the president’s administration came under criticism.
He argued that members of the government had a responsibility to defend the president’s record, particularly when they believed his administration was delivering on its promises.
The minister further described Obi as a lucky politician, questioning the continued criticism and public debate surrounding the former Anambra governor.
His comments reflect a broader political contest over leadership, governance and influence in the South-East, a region that played a significant role in Obi’s performance during the 2023 presidential election.
Obi, who contested the 2023 election under the Labour Party, secured victories in all five South-East states. His performance helped establish him as a major opposition figure and strengthened his political appeal beyond his home state of Anambra.
Umahi, meanwhile, governed Ebonyi State from 2015 to 2023 before joining the federal government as minister of works. His tenure in Ebonyi and his current role overseeing federal road infrastructure form important parts of his public service record.
However, determining which politician has contributed more to the South-East is not a straightforward exercise. Such an assessment would require examining their respective policy decisions, infrastructure projects, public spending, education and healthcare outcomes, economic development initiatives and the long-term impact of their administrations.
Political popularity and governance performance are related but distinct measures. A politician’s influence among voters does not, by itself, establish the effectiveness of their administration, just as a list of completed projects cannot fully capture the wider social and economic consequences of public policy.
Beyond the personal comparison, Umahi used the occasion to restate his position on the South-East’s ambition to produce Nigeria’s president.
He maintained that the region would eventually occupy the country’s highest political office but argued that the 2027 election should be Tinubu’s turn.
The position places Umahi on the side of those advocating continued support for the incumbent president, while raising questions about the timing of the South-East’s presidential ambition and the role of regional political leaders in determining electoral strategy.
The debate also touches on a longstanding issue in Nigerian politics: the balance between regional representation and the national coalition required to win a presidential election.
Although the South-East has continued to seek greater representation at the federal level, its political leaders do not share a single position on how that objective should be achieved or which candidate should receive their support.
Umahi’s remarks also come amid continuing discussions about the federal government’s infrastructure programme. At the Benin-Asaba Road event, he announced plans to redesign the 136-kilometre road project using reinforced concrete pavement after earlier options for continuing the concession arrangement failed to produce an acceptable solution.
He said the government had begun temporary interventions on the road while longer-term reconstruction plans were being developed. The minister also clarified that the emergency rehabilitation had not been awarded to Hitech or another contractor, explaining that the ministry was hiring equipment from contractors operating along the corridor.
The infrastructure announcement provided a practical dimension to an event that also became a platform for political exchanges over leadership and public service.
With the 2027 election approaching, disagreements over governance records, regional interests and political alliances are likely to remain central to the national conversation.
For Umahi and Obi, the latest exchange highlights the competing claims to leadership within the South-East. Ultimately, assessments of their respective records will depend on the evidence of their time in office, while electoral decisions will rest with Nigerian voters.
