Minister of Works, David Umahi, has declared that the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, cannot win the 2027 presidential election.
Umahi made the statement on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving a report from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) following the association’s nationwide inspection of federal roads.
The minister urged political leaders in the South-East to educate residents about what he described as the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in the region.
According to Umahi, greater awareness of the Federal Government’s projects, appointments and other interventions would influence the political choices of people in the region.
The more we educate our people, the less votes Peter Obi will get. Peter Obi cannot win in 2027,” he said.
He also commended Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, for openly supporting Tinubu, saying people should be allowed to express their political preferences without being insulted.
Umahi further claimed that no previous administration had done as much for the South-East as the Tinubu administration in terms of appointments, inclusion and infrastructure projects.
The minister also spoke about the Federal Government’s financing model for major infrastructure projects, explaining that the government would provide 30 per cent of the funding, while the balance would come from loans to be repaid through tolling.
He expressed concern over alleged vandalism and reckless driving on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, saying some individuals had been removing road demarcation materials and manhole covers.
Meanwhile, NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, said the students’ North-West road tour covered Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna and Sokoto states.
He said the students inspected several major highways, including the Kano-Maiduguri, Kano-Katsina, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano, Mando-Birnin Gwari, Sokoto-Badagry and Illela-Dukamaje roads.
Afeez said the association was impressed by the scale and pace of work observed but recommended the construction of a pedestrian bridge at the Federal Co-operative College in Kaduna to improve students’ safety.
