Minister of Works David Umahi has dismissed claims that Peter Obi is the strongest presidential contender from the South-East, insisting that the region has other qualified politicians who could seek Nigeria’s highest office.
Umahi made the remarks during an interview with ARISE News on Friday, while defending South-East political leaders who have chosen to support President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Peter Obi is not the best of our finest in South East. He’s not the best, he can never be the best,” Umahi said.
The former Ebonyi State governor argued that anyone seeking to become president with the backing of the region should first engage governors and other influential political figures in the South-East.
According to him, Obi should have consulted regional leaders before pursuing his presidential ambition in 2023. Umahi maintained that political ambitions with implications for an entire region should involve discussions with key stakeholders.
He also challenged the assumption that Anambra State should automatically produce a presidential candidate whenever the South-East gets an opportunity to occupy the presidency.
Umahi pointed to Nigeria’s first president, Nnamdi Azikiwe, who hailed from the area now known as Anambra State, and argued that other states in the region should also have a chance. He specifically mentioned Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia and Imo.
The minister further defended South-East politicians supporting Tinubu, rejecting suggestions that their political alignment amounted to a betrayal of the region.
He said the South-East would need to negotiate and build political partnerships with other parts of the country to improve its chances of producing a president, rather than treating support for one candidate as a measure of regional loyalty.
Umahi’s latest comments follow remarks he made in Benin City in September, when he rejected comparisons between himself and Obi, arguing that he did not consider the former Anambra governor superior to him in any area.
At the time, Umahi expressed confidence that the South-East would eventually produce Nigeria’s president but said the region’s opportunity had yet to come.
