“All Southeast Governors Are with Tinubu — Peter Obi Should Join Us” – Umahi

Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has declared that all governors from Nigeria’s Southeast region are in full support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and called on prominent opposition figures, including former governor Peter Obi, to align with the President for the region’s progress.

Umahi made the statement in a feature interview for an upcoming State House documentary marking President Tinubu’s second anniversary. He described the ongoing wave of federal attention and infrastructure development in the Southeast as unprecedented, stating that it reflects Tinubu’s commitment to fairness and national inclusion.

“All Southeast governors are with President Tinubu, regardless of party. We’re planning a regional summit to formally endorse him for 2027,” Umahi revealed. “Leadership is not about self—it’s about the people. If someone else is already doing what you would have done for your people, support him. I call on my brother, His Excellency Peter Obi, to join us and work with Mr. President.”

He highlighted key infrastructure projects under the current administration, noting that past complaints of marginalisation are being addressed through visible development and strategic appointments.

“Today, the Southeast has a Minister of Works for the first time, and we’re seeing real projects—Port Harcourt to Enugu, Enugu to Abakaliki, Enugu to Onitsha, Onitsha to Owerri, and the Second Niger Bridge. The President has already paid 30 per cent of the bridge cost,” Umahi said.

He added that four federal projects are ongoing in Ebonyi State alone, a stark contrast to previous administrations where the region was largely neglected.

Providing updates on national infrastructure, Umahi focused on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing it as an economic corridor with massive potential. He announced that tolling on Section 1 of the highway, which stretches 47.47 kilometres from Ahmadu Bello Way to the Lekki Deep Sea Port, will begin in December.

“We’ve completed 30 kilometres of Section 1 and are progressing with Section 2. The highway has solar lighting, CCTV, and environmental benefits. It’s more than a road—it’s a transformative project,” he said.

Sections 3 and 3B—totalling 65 kilometres across Cross River and Akwa Ibom states—have also been flagged off, with widespread support from host communities. He added that the federal government is also advancing the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the Trans-Saharan Trade Route, and the soon-to-be-launched Ogun-Ondo-Niger Corridor.

Umahi credited President Tinubu’s long-term vision for these projects, stating: “God gave him the vision for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway seven years ago. Today, he is actualising it. These are legacy projects—economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and vital to national development.”

He concluded by affirming that the Southeast is not only benefitting from the Tinubu administration but is ready to consolidate this progress through unity and partnership with the President.