The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has stated that Ebonyi State will not be part of the 'Rainbow Coalition' being promoted by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to mobilise support for President Tinubu's re-election. Umahi, a former governor of Ebonyi State, made this declaration during an inspection of Section Two of the Calabar-Abuja Superhighway at Ado in Benue State. He emphasized that his support for President Tinubu is based on the administration's reforms and infrastructure projects.
Umahi's statement comes amid fresh political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. Wike has maintained that the coalition is separate from the APC and aims to bring politicians from different parties together behind Tinubu. However, Umahi stressed that neither his personal relationship with Wike nor Wike's reported political interests in Ebonyi would alter his allegiance to the APC and its candidates.
The former Ebonyi governor also revisited the circumstances surrounding his departure from the PDP to the APC in 2020. Umahi cited the PDP's failure to adequately recognise the Southeast's political support, saying the region consistently supported the party at the presidential level but was not adequately rewarded. He criticised the PDP for its treatment of the Southeast.
Umahi warned opposition politicians seeking to campaign in Ebonyi against hate speech and actions capable of provoking crisis. He stated that anybody who wants to campaign is free to do so, provided their activities do not threaten peace in the state. Umahi emphasized that nobody can foment crisis in Ebonyi State.
Umahi defended the Tinubu administration's infrastructure programme, dismissing claims that he had concentrated federal projects in the Southeast. He said the projects being executed across the country were part of the Federal Government's broader infrastructure programme and were not determined solely by him. Umahi urged Nigerians to judge the administration by projects currently under construction.
The Calabar-Abuja Superhighway is one of the major projects being executed by the administration. Section Two of the highway covers about 173.6 kilometres and has a contract value of approximately N683 billion, while Section One is valued at about N454 billion. Umahi directed contractors to accelerate construction and open additional sections of the road while engineering challenges are addressed.
Umahi's support for Tinubu's 2027 re-election is based on his assessment of the President's vision, reforms, and infrastructure agenda. He expressed confidence in Tinubu's leadership, citing the administration's progress in infrastructure development. The Minister of Works emphasized the importance of continuity to prevent major projects from being disrupted by a change of government.
Key points
- Umahi rules out 'Rainbow Coalition' arrangement in Ebonyi State.
- Umahi reaffirms support for President Tinubu and APC ahead of 2027 elections.
- Umahi defends Tinubu administration's infrastructure programme.
