2027: Tinubu, Nwifuru qualify for 8 yrs tenure – works minister, Umahi insist

By Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki 

The Minister of works, David Umahi on Wednesday insisted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and governor Francis Nwifuru are qualified to be returned in 2027 for the second term in office.

Umahi made this known during stakeholders engagement meeting held at the executive chambers new government house, Centenary city, Abakaliki, capacity of Ebonyi State.

The Minister also unveiled the 477km superhighway road project in the southeast region, especially in Ebonyi state.

The Nations News Nigeria reports that the project  traverses Cross River, Southeast -North Central —APO-Abuja Superhighway —spur of Lagos -Port Harcourt —Crossing Enugu State, passing through Ebonyi to Ogoja, in Northern Cross River State. 

He, however, urged Ebonyians and the south East region to support the legacy project of President Tinubu’s administration, and as such, should shun any attempt of staging protest against Tinubu’s administration.

Umahi, further pleaded with the south East stakeholders, despite political affiliation and party interest to shun anything that is capable of stopping all the approved road projects in the south East.

The works minister, Umahi emphasized that Tinubu has the interest of Igbos at  heart, and should not do anything that will disrupt the road infrastructural agenda in Ebonyi state and south East at Large .

“I want to advise South East youths to stop any involvement  of any protest against Tinubu’s administration because the Nigerian president has the interest of Igbos at  heart.

“There is no reason to stage a protest against Tinubu because he has done well for us. I mean the Igbos even in Ebonyi state, therefore, i want to thank Mr. President for the massive roads he has approved in South East Nigeria.

” Tinubu is the  most accessible president that I  have ever seen in my life, and we are not taking your relationship with Igbo for granted. 

Umahi said the African Tran-Saharan highway, when completed, will boost the economy of the south east and the country in general, describing it as economically agricultural viable routes.

Umahi further described the project as Tinubu’s legacy project and urged the South East and other people of the country to support it to ease the perennial problems encountered by farmers in the evacuation of agricultural produce. 

“It’s an economically agricultural viable route that will enable Ebonyi State to now bring a lot of their rice within this corridor.

“There is a lot of rice production here, potatoes and yams and there is no road to transport them. So, these is going to help us to bring out our agricultural produce to support Mr. President policy on food sufficiency.So, it’s an agricultural economic corridor 

“Let me on behalf of Mr. President unveil the three legacy projects of Mr. President. Let me emphasize that these legacy projects are not just mere projects”, he stated.

Responding, the governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru described the roads project of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a signature project and prayed for it’s timely completion 

“Listen to your feedback and concerns regarding the inclusion of Ebonyi State in the 477km road which traverses Cross River, Southeast -North Central —APO-Abuja Superhighway —spur of Lagos -Port Harcourt —Crossing Enugu State and passing through our dear Abakaliki, then to Ogoja, in northern Cross River State. 

“It is indeed a huge signature project, we pray God it comes to timely fruition ; Foster collaboration and partnerships by- identify opportunities for innovation and investment in the project given its associated socioeconomic potentialities. Our people are predominantly agrarians and this wonderful initiative we are going to benefit from will further assist our rural farmers to evacuate their farm produce to  viable markets 

“This engagement this afternoon— I repeat — is predicated on our belief that effective infrastructure development— requires a collective effort from government, private sector, and civil society. This administration is committed to creating an enabling environment for investment and ensuring that our infrastructure meets the needs of our citizens.

“Once again, I thank Mr. President for this wonderful show of love not only to Ebonyi State but to the entire Ndigbo. We are indeed very grateful for a number of  Federal projects being executed in our dear State which are in tandem with our resolve to make life easier for the people”, Nwifuru stated