•Umahi, Peter Obi and Tinubu
Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed Peter Obi’s claim that his life could be in danger ahead of the 2027 general election.
He said the former Anambra State governor would be alive to contest the election and suffer another defeat at the polls.
Umahi spoke yesterday while inspecting ongoing federal road projects in Ebonyi State, reports Sunday Trust.
The inspection comes days after the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was frustrating his livelihood and targeting opposition figures.
Obi, during an interview with Chude Jideonwo, had claimed that virtually everything he does for a living was being deliberately obstructed by the government.
He also said he was being attacked because of his opposition politics and suggested that, if given the opportunity, the current administration could ensure he was not alive before the 2027 election.
Reacting to the remarks, Umahi described the allegations as unreasonable, insisting that nobody wished Obi dead.
“Nobody wants Obi dead; it’s not just reasonable. We all want him alive to contest this election and watch himself lose again,” the minister said.
The former Ebonyi State governor said Obi’s fears stemmed from his belief that the South East remained firmly behind him following the 2023 presidential election.
“What he is afraid of is because he said the South East is his catchment area because of the last election, which I call an accident of history,” Umahi said.
He argued that the political equation in the region had changed under the Tinubu administration, citing ongoing federal infrastructure projects and appointments given to people from the South East.
According to him, those interventions had convinced many residents of the region that supporting Tinubu remained in their best interest.
“We have come with visible development in the zone, and our people have now agreed with us that we are better off with President Tinubu to complete the good works he is doing for us than playing Artificial Intelligence kind of politics,” he said.
Umahi also renewed his challenge to Obi to publicly debate the achievements of the Tinubu administration.
He said he was ready to defend the government’s record on infrastructure and inclusiveness.
In the interview that triggered the exchange, Obi had alleged that he was being denied entitlements and subjected to persistent harassment because of his criticism of the Federal Government.
He cited an incident at the Lagos airport where, according to him, his vehicle was clamped while other vehicles parked in the same area were left untouched.
He also claimed that some people now avoid greeting him publicly for fear of becoming targets of the government.
The presidency, however, rejected the allegations.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga described Obi’s claims as “unfounded and misleading”.
He accused the opposition figure of fabricating a victimhood narrative to attract undue sympathy.
Onanuga also dismissed Obi’s claim that the federal government was targeting his business interests or restricting his political activities.
He said the Tinubu administration had no reason to persecute him.
