ABUJA, Nigeria — The Minister of Works, Chief David Umahi, has declared that he has the right to decide who will replace him as the senator representing Ebonyi South District under the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Umahi made this statement on Friday, September 8, 2023, during his tour of Ebonyi State to inspect federal roads.
Umahi, a former senator, was appointed as the Minister of Works by President Bola Tinubu.
The Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja recently affirmed his past election, dismissing petitions from Labour Party and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates.
During his visit to Governor Francis Nwifuru, Umahi stated, “We would ensure that the party zones the ticket to Ohaozara [his Local Government Area] and it will not leave there.”
The minister further thanked the governor for supporting his efforts to elevate Chief Onyekachi Nwebonyi, representing APC-Ebonyi Central, to the position of Senate deputy majority leader.
“President Tinubu does not like division, and be assured that you are not struggling for the party’s leadership with anyone,” he added.
Umahi also reflected on his decision to decamp from the PDP to the APC, acknowledging the personal and political costs he had incurred.
“That decision nearly took my life; my properties were burnt, and I became the enemy of the entire Igbos,” he said.
However, he noted that the move had benefited the state, helping to bring it into mainstream politics.
“The decision fetched all of us our present position, so support the governor to deepen the party in the state and the southeast zone,” Umahi advised.
Umahi openly praised President Bola Tinubu, describing him as “ordained by God” to lead the country. He urged Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s Presidential Candidate, and other Igbo stakeholders to support Tinubu. “The president gave us the foremost ministerial position even when we didn’t vote well for him,” Umahi concluded.
The minister’s comments on having the right to decide his Senate successor have ignited debates among political analysts and citizens alike.
Some argue that such a decision should be made through democratic processes and not by the minister unilaterally.
Others, however, believe that as a prominent stakeholder in the APC, Umahi should have a significant say in the matter.
