Minister of Works, David Umahi, has urged the people of Ebonyi State not to support the presidential ambition of former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, in the 2027 election.
Umahi made the call while addressing residents of the state in a video that has gone viral, where he questioned Obi’s relationship with Ebonyi people and challenged him to name an indigene of the state he appointed during his tenure as Anambra governor.
According to Umahi, Obi did not appoint any Ebonyi indigene into his administration despite the state’s membership of the South-East geopolitical zone.
“When you were a governor, give me one Ebonyi person that you gave an appointment,” Umahi said.
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The minister also accused Obi of remaining silent when Abakaliki Street in Anambra State was reportedly removed, arguing that Ebonyi people should not be treated as second-class citizens.
“When they removed Abakaliki Street that had been there for over 50 years, you said nothing. It’s only when it comes to votes that they say we Ebonyi people are one with other states in the South-East.
“But when it comes to insulting us, they insult us. We are not second-class citizens. We are proud Ebonyi people,” he said.
Umahi subsequently urged Ebonyi voters to use their votes to challenge what he described as classism within the Igbo community.
“Use your votes to fight. We will not go back to Egypt. We say no to second colonisation. God has freed us. We have a state of our own,” he said.
The minister, who noted that Ebonyi was celebrating 30 years since its creation, warned against any attempt to reverse the state’s political autonomy.
“We are celebrating 30 years of freedom and nobody will take us back. What happened before was an accident of history. It will not repeat itself. Now you know better,” Umahi added.
