Minister of Works David Umahi has said ongoing infrastructure projects across the South-East and other parts of the country will strengthen support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election.
Umahi spoke during an inspection of federal projects in Ebonyi State alongside members of the Presidential Media Team and the Renewed Hope Ambassadors.
The minister said the Tinubu administration had demonstrated commitment to the development of the South-East through major investments in roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.
According to him, projects such as the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue Trans-Sahara Superhighway will boost trade, support agriculture and improve regional connectivity.
"It is a colonial-era dream long forgotten, but President Tinubu has revived it and construction is now underway," Umahi said.
He described the highway as more than a transportation project, noting that it would serve as an economic corridor linking agricultural and commercial centres across the region.
"The Trans-Sahara Superhighway is not just a road; it is an investment corridor that will catalyse trade in agricultural produce and connect Nigeria more effectively with neighbouring countries," he said.
Umahi explained that improved road networks would make it easier for farmers and traders to move products such as cassava, yam, cashew and palm oil from Cross River, Ebonyi and Benue states to local and international markets.
The minister also highlighted other ongoing projects, including the Dangote Tax Credit Road linking parts of Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu states, the Ndibe Beach Bridge connecting Ebonyi and Cross River states, and the reconstruction of the Enugu–Abakaliki Road.
He said the scale of federal investment in Ebonyi was unprecedented.
"In the past, Ebonyi never had any significant Federal Government project. Today, the story has changed completely," Umahi said.
The minister argued that infrastructure development remains one of the most effective tools for stimulating economic growth, attracting investment and creating jobs.
He also said the South-East was experiencing greater inclusion under the current administration.
"We have been crying for fairness, equity and inclusiveness. Today, we have every reason to be grateful," he said.
Umahi further declared that the political mood in Ebonyi had shifted in favour of the President, insisting that development projects were changing public perception across the state.
He said residents would have an opportunity to demonstrate their support during a rally expected to bring together Governor Francis Nwifuru and other stakeholders.
Governor Nwifuru, who received the delegation in Abakaliki, commended Tinubu for prioritising infrastructure development in the South-East.
The governor said both federal and state governments were executing projects across all local government areas of Ebonyi.
"We have continued to invest in roads, healthcare, water schemes and other critical infrastructure across the state. Development is taking place in every part of Ebonyi," Nwifuru said.
The inspection team visited sections of the Trans-Sahara Superhighway, the concrete pavement corridor around Onueke, the Ndi-Egbe Bridge linking Ebonyi and Cross River states, the Okposi–Ukawu–Ugwulangu road corridor and the Onueke Flyover project.
The South-East tour is expected to continue in Enugu, Abia, Anambra and Imo states, where federal projects under the Renewed Hope Agenda will also be inspected.
