The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has dismissed concerns about the presidential bid of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Peter Obi, saying he does not consider the former Anambra State governor a threat to President Bola Tinubu or the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 election.
Umahi made the remarks on Sunday, October 4, during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, where he argued that Obi was not the only presidential hopeful from the South-East.
“By the way it is not only Peter Obi that is from the South-East that is contesting. We have about three or four other presidential candidates who are contesting.
“We have the Labour Party and I think there are other two, even a woman is involved. So, Peter Obi is not a threat as far as I am concerned,” Umahi said.
Despite dismissing Obi as a major threat, the former Ebonyi State governor said he was not taking the NDC candidate’s political influence for granted.
He expressed confidence that Tinubu’s administration would perform better in the South-East in 2027, arguing that the region’s attitude towards the APC in the 2023 election was influenced largely by what he described as its marginalisation under the previous administration.
READ ALSO: 2027: South-East Will Give Tinubu 90% Votes, Obi Should Wait — Umahi
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, won all five states in the South-East.
With the 2027 contest drawing closer, Umahi said the APC could reverse that outcome and secure victories across the region, citing what he described as improved representation of the South-East in the Tinubu administration.
“I will not blame the South-East in the last election because, virtually, we were not fairly treated by the past administration.
“Service chiefs, we got none; major ministerial portfolios, we got none. And so, the marginalisation continued, and they even increased at that point. And so you will not totally blame them for that,” the former Ebonyi governor said.
According to Umahi, Tinubu’s appointments and other measures had changed the political relationship between the Federal Government and the region.
“But now, the story is totally different. I’m the Minister of Works; we have never had a Minister of Works before. We have a Minister of Foreign Affairs; we have a Minister of Science and Industry. We are very happy with the appointments we’ve got. They’re very happy. Now, we have done quite a lot.
Umahi’s comments come amid growing political realignments and preparations by parties and presidential hopefuls ahead of the 2027 general election, with the South-East expected to remain an important battleground.