Umahi orders closure of Niger Bridge to effect major repairs, urges South East to appreciate President Tinubu

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By Madu Obi

The Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi has ordered the closure of the old Niger Bridge to effect major repairs.

Umahi, who spoke at the Ogbunike interchange in Anambra State linking the second Niger Bridge, said that during the period of the closure, traffic will be diverted to the second Niger Bridge.

"Seven days from today, (Friday), we are going to close the first Niger Bridge and traffic will be diverted to the second Niger Bridge so that we can install the solar lights and the CCTV .

"We will restore the first Niger Bridge like the same quality that we restored the third mainland bridge in Lagos That is the message and directive of Mr President", the Minister said.

He urged the people of the South East to always appreciate what President Bola Tinubu is doing in the region and then ask for more.

He lamented a situation whereby anytime there is a challenge, some content creators in the South East will say, oh, Igbos are marginalized, noting that such people lack appreciation of what the president is doing.

He wondered where these people were during the past administrations when nothing happened in the South East, stressing that it is for that reason that he is asking Igbo people to be sensible.

He said: "South East people must vote for the president in 2027 and this is what I am educating them on. If they are insulting me, it is not my business because they can't face me face to face. So it makes me happy that I am taking the attention of those insulting me. But the truth remains the truth.

"Vote for President Tinubu so that these dividends of democracy will continue even in improved form after the election. Let it not be that when other people are voting, the people of the South East will be playing football and tomorrow we will start to complain. It is not acceptable.

"We have to show gratitude to the president. I was a governor, a deputy governor and party chairman and never in the history of South East did we witness even 5% of what we are witnessing now. All our roads are being fixed and we are taking them for granted.

"I know that a lot of people are beginning to know that this message is very important. If you are insulting the president, it won't stop him from winning and he must win."

Urging Igbo people to be wise and support the president and the governors, Umahi added: "Our votes will not make our brother president and if you are insulting me because of our brother, you are wasting time because we are friends.

"I am telling him to support the president because he cannot win. When our time comes, other people will support us. We will not play regional politics and politics of hate and sentiment.

"Some of our elites are in agreement, but decide to keep quiet. President Bola Tinubu will win the 2027 election and I am happy that I am in Anambra State, which is a very strong base for the president because the progressives are working together.

"In the last off cycle elections in Anambra State, both the governorship and one Senate seat, the progressives took all of them".

He thanked the president for the work he is doing in the South East, adding that the South East has taken its pride of place in Nigeria.

He also assured all contractors handling various projects that all the certificates generated will soon be paid for.