RismadarVoice Reporters
September 23, 2026
Minister of Works, David Umahi, has urged people of the South-East to support President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term, citing federal infrastructure projects and other interventions in the region.
Umahi made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving a report on the North-West leg of a nationwide Federal Roads Project Tour conducted by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The minister urged South-East leaders to engage their constituents on what he described as the benefits of the Tinubu administration’s policies and infrastructure investments.
According to him, supporting Tinubu should be viewed as a strategic political decision for the region.
“It is a strategic decision that we Igbos must make. And I commend the South-East governors and the governor of Anambra State for his bold decision,” Umahi said.
He urged residents of the region to assess the federal government’s interventions in the South-East when discussing claims of marginalisation.
Umahi argued that the assessment should cover both political appointments and infrastructure development.
“I call for debate. If you are insulting me, insult me constructively. Do not just empty talk,” he said.
The minister also appealed to South-East stakeholders to support Tinubu on the grounds that other regions could reciprocate the gesture when the opportunity arose for the South-East to produce a president.
Umahi commended NANS for organising a nationwide inspection of federal road projects across the six geopolitical zones.
He said the students had requested direct access to project sites and declined logistics support offered by the Ministry of Works, insisting on independently assessing the projects.
The minister described the initiative as a demonstration of responsible civic engagement and welcomed similar efforts by civil society organisations to monitor federal projects.
Umahi disclosed that the federal government had expanded the scope of four legacy road projects from about 700 kilometres to approximately 1,150 kilometres following a directive from President Tinubu.
He cited the 1,068-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry corridor and the 135-kilometre Akwanga-Jos road, which he said is currently under construction, among the projects.
According to the minister, only about 30 per cent of the expanded road network involves entirely new construction, while several projects involve the expansion or rehabilitation of existing roads.
Other projects he mentioned include the 156-kilometre Gombe-Bauchi road, the 149-kilometre Bauchi-Jos road, the new Ogoja-Calabar connection of about 400 kilometres and the Biu-Maiduguri corridor.
Umahi said the Bauchi-Gombe road had been fully rehabilitated, while damaged sections in Bauchi and Jigawa states were being reconstructed using box culverts, rigid concrete pavement and asphalt surfacing.
He said the Federal Government was providing 30 per cent of the funding for the legacy projects, while 70 per cent was being financed through foreign loans.
According to him, the financing arrangement is based on tolling the roads after completion, with revenue from the corridors expected to contribute towards recovering and repaying the loans.
Umahi defends Lagos-Calabar highway
The minister also defended the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway against criticism, arguing that a significant portion of the project runs through the Niger Delta.
He said the highway would traverse Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
Umahi described the project as significant to the Niger Delta and the wider Nigerian economy, citing its potential importance to transportation and connectivity across the region.
