Posted by Chinenye on Tue 07th Jul, 2026 - tori.ng
The Minister of Works has reacted to growing political discussions ahead of the next presidential election, making a strong statement about Peter Obi’s influence and the opposition’s chances.
(David Umahi And Bola Tinubu. Photo by Vanguard News)
As political conversations ahead of the 2027 presidential election continue to gather momentum, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed claims that the Labour Party's Peter Obi poses any political threat to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking during a television interview on Tuesday, Umahi insisted that neither President Tinubu nor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has any reason to fear Obi's growing political influence.
He described the phenomenon surrounding Obi as "AI politics," suggesting it amounted to building something out of nothing, and maintained that nobody is genuinely afraid of him, insisting that he does not pose a threat to the President because Obi himself reportedly knows he cannot even confront Umahi directly, let alone the President.
The minister also criticised Obi's eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra State, arguing that the former governor lacks the moral standing to call on President Tinubu to resign.
He questioned how many times Obi himself resigned as governor over alleged failures to fix roads, establish industries, empower citizens, build an airport or seaport, or pay contractors, drawing a comparison to the resignation calls being directed at the President.
Umahi further accused members of the Obidient movement of intolerance toward opposing views, alleging that critics of Obi are often subjected to inslts, thr3ats, and legal action.
He questioned the frequency with which people have criticised President Tinubu compared to how often such critics face lawsuits, contrasting this with what he described as a pattern within the Obidient movement of inslting people, wishing harm on them, and issuing thr3ats whenever there is disagreement, asking rhetorically whether such conduct reflects the kind of political behaviour that should be encouraged.