Works Minister David Umahi has described himself because the lion of the South-East, saying Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), shouldn’t be higher than him.
Umahi spoke on Sunday in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, at a city corridor organised by the Directorate of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council.
He described Obi as a “nobody”, faulting his promise to serve solely a four-year time period if elected president.
“There is no way an Igbo man, after staying for 60 years, will want to be president for four years. There is nobody that can accept that. The north has not accepted to be president for four years,” Umahi stated.
He urged the folks of the South-East to assist President Bola Tinubu within the 2027 basic election, including that doing so would place the area to learn politically when it was its flip to supply the president.
The minister stated the South-East had been built-in into the federal authorities, citing the appointment of individuals from the area to key positions and street rehabilitation initiatives as proof of the administration’s inclusion.
“Igbo man needs wisdom, not sentiments. Igbo man should not allow people to be dishing hate speeches on social media on their behalf,” he stated.
“Today, our folks in commerce, we clear our items with ease. Today, our roads are being revived within the path of financial actions. Today, we are able to boldly say we now have been built-in.
“The last time they were choosing service chiefs, it was the naval chief. This time, it is the chief of air staff, minister of works, other ministers, SSAs, what else? When I say south-east has been fully integrated and included, I mean it.”
Umahi stated the area ought to assist Tinubu to finish his second time period, including that this is able to exhibit its willingness to assist different areas earlier than its personal flip to supply the president.
“We are supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to finish his remaining four years so that the south-east would have strategically supported another region. So that when it is our turn, we will not get this thing by hate speeches; they will not give to us by sentiments,” he stated.
The minister additionally challenged Obi’s political standing whereas criticising those that allegedly insult individuals who don’t assist the previous Anambra governor.
“You insult anybody who is not supporting Peter Obi. Anybody who is not supporting Peter Obi is a saboteur; you insult the person,” he stated.
“Who is Peter Obi better than? Who is he better than? Is he better than Sam Egwu? Is he better than Elias Mbam? Is he better than the Lion of the south-east, myself? Is he better than Anyim Pius?”
He urged conventional rulers and non secular leaders within the area to brazenly assist Tinubu, urging them to not stay impartial.
“I want to tell our religious leaders and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), do not stay on the fence. I know when I was struggling to be governor, CAN took a decision and said justice must prevail. CAN, don’t keep quiet; let us toe the path that must sustain our freedom,” Umahi stated.
The former governor of Ebonyi stated he would ship 1.3 million votes for Tinubu and Francis Nwifuru, governor of the state, within the 2027 elections.
“We have 1.8 million registered voters in Ebonyi state. Let me tell you, if we are not donating 1.3 million votes for the president, for the governor, we are doing ourselves a disservice,” he stated.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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