By Deborah Nnamdi
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed suggestions that former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, poses a political threat to President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.
Umahi made the remarks during an interview on ARISE Television’s Daybreak programme on Tuesday, where he said neither President Tinubu nor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was concerned about Obi’s political influence.
According to the minister, Obi does not constitute a challenge to the President, insisting that the opposition’s growing popularity is exaggerated.
“Even I cannot be scared of Peter Obi, not to talk about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or our party, the APC. What displays around Peter Obi is AI politics. It is putting something on nothing,” Umahi said.
He added, “Nobody is scared of Peter Obi. He is not a threat to our president because Peter Obi himself knows very well that he cannot even face me, let alone face the president.”
Umahi also criticised Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State, arguing that the former governor lacked the moral authority to call on President Tinubu to resign.
He questioned Obi’s performance in office, citing what he described as failures in road infrastructure, industrial development, empowerment programmes and the execution of major projects during his administration.
The minister further accused supporters of the Obidient movement of intolerance towards opposing views, alleging that critics of Obi are often subjected to insults, threats and legal action.
He challenged members of the movement to engage him in a public debate on infrastructure development and the Tinubu administration’s reform agenda, maintaining that the government’s performance could withstand scrutiny.
Speaking on the economy, Umahi said the Tinubu administration inherited deep-rooted structural challenges that could not be resolved within three years.
He argued that the government’s ongoing reforms were beginning to produce positive results and urged Nigerians to assess the administration based on its efforts across key sectors, including infrastructure, education and healthcare.
The minister also expressed confidence that President Tinubu deserves a second term, insisting that none of the opposition figures seeking power could match the achievements of the current administration.
His comments come amid increasing political realignments and early positioning by political parties and key actors ahead of the 2027 general elections.
