Tinubu has given S/East sense of belonging - Umahi

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By Madu Obi

Awka- Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi has said South East geopolitical zone has been fully connected to the mainstream politics of Nigeria and has been given a sense of belonging by President Bola Tinubu.

Umahi, who was reacting to a statement credited to one Linus Anagboso alleging that President Tinubu has left Ndigbo behind in the area of federal road infrastructure and appointments, described the allegation as false, insisting tha the Tinubu administration is taking time to ensure that Igbo are fairly treated.

Umahi said : "My attention has been drawn to a wrong and misleading statement in the social media published by one Mr Linus Anagboso (D-Big Pen) captioned: “The Politics of Asphalt: Why is the South East missing from the map?”

I understand that politics is now in the air and the chosen path by some persons is to deceive unsuspecting members of the public, look good before the people as one fighting for them and close both eyes pretentiously over the great and selfless infrastructure development Mr. President is doing all over the nation.

I have directed all the regional directors of the Federal Ministry of Works back to sites in all the regions across the country to compile all inherited but ongoing projects and all new projects in all the regions so that Nigerians will appreciate the huge works that Mr. President is doing in all the regions irrespective of those who voted for him and those who did not.

Mr. President is using fair distribution of infrastructure to reunite Nigerians and renew their hope, and only those who open their eyes will see the light of change in Nigeria."

According to the Minister, the President has four legacy projects, which cover the six geo-political zones, with the South East region well captured within the third legacy project of Cross River-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa-Abuja, totaling 465km x 2 with South East covering 231.64km x 2 and 231.64km x 1 for ₦445.8 billion already awarded and work is going on.

He added: "Mr. President has already paid ₦108 billion. What happened in the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of 31/7/2025 was a review of that corridor from 118kmx 1 to 231.64km x1 for ₦445.8 billion.

This misleading writer chose to change the narrative of my press briefing after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of Tran Sahara Section 1 (Ebonyi State to Benue border – 123.64km at ₦445.8 billion, but deliberately chose to call it Oyo-Benue border road to deceive and incite unsuspecting members of the public.

I demand that he corrects the information immediately even if he fails to apologize.

Where was the writer when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu decided to treat South East fairly in road infrastructure like other regions.

Under his administration, 90% of abandoned projects, some awarded as far back as 2013, were all revived, and all are now ongoing.

It is noteworthy to mention that there is huge ongoing works on the 2nd Niger Bridge access road 2A in Delta State which is valued at ₦146 Billion and 2B in Anambra State which is valued at ₦176 billion; the Enugu-Onitsha road -208km ( MTN Tax Credit which is valued at ₦ 202 billion and CBC completing the remaining section at ₦150 billion of which ₦45 billion was released last week).

Also ongoing are the Enugu – Port Harcourt road in four sections, the Enugu-Abakaliki, the Afikpo(Ebonyi) -Abia-Imo road, the Onitsha-Owerri-Aba road, the Aba-Ikot Ekpene road and the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road."