Ohanaeze rejects call for Dave Umahi’s removal as works minister

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has rejected the call by an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Chief Ayiri Emami, for the removal of the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, describing the demand as reckless and unsupported by credible evidence.

Ohanaeze also dismissed allegations that Umahi was hostile to the people of the Niger Delta, saying the minister’s mandate covered the entire country and should not be assessed on ethnic or regional considerations.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its deputy President-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and acting Secretary-General, Prof. Chibuikeya Achokawa, the group said there was no evidence that Umahi had deliberately discriminated against the Niger Delta or denied the region federal infrastructure projects.

It said the minister should instead be assessed on his performance in the rehabilitation, reconstruction and expansion of federal roads, as well as project supervision and implementation.

According to the group, Umahi was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Minister of Works for the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not to serve any particular geopolitical region.

Ohanaeze said attempts to portray the minister as an enemy of the Niger Delta were a distortion of his responsibilities and could create unnecessary ethnic and political tension.

The organisation also rejected the suggestion that the functions of the Federal Ministry of Works should be transferred to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

It said the Ministry of Works and the FCT administration were separate institutions with distinct mandates, adding that disagreements over road projects should be addressed through dialogue and the appropriate government channels.

Ohanaeze further cautioned against attempts to create rivalry between Umahi and Wike, noting that both were members of President Tinubu’s administration but had different portfolios and responsibilities.

The group challenged Emami and others making allegations against Umahi to provide evidence that the minister had deliberately discriminated against the Niger Delta or directed contractors to neglect communities in the region.

It said concerns over specific road projects should be presented with details of their locations, contractual status, funding and engineering challenges for public scrutiny.

Ohanaeze reaffirmed its confidence in Umahi, saying he should be allowed to concentrate on his responsibilities without what it described as politically motivated distractions.

The group said Nigeria’s road infrastructure deficit required sustained funding, engineering expertise, effective supervision and contractor accountability, rather than political attacks.

It also urged political stakeholders to support the Federal Government’s infrastructure agenda and avoid statements capable of creating unnecessary tension between the Southeast and Niger Delta.

Ohanaeze called on Emami to exercise restraint and civility, stressing that genuine concerns over federal road projects should be addressed with facts and through the appropriate channels.

The group maintained that Umahi should be judged by the projects under his ministry, policy implementation and measurable outcomes, rather than allegations it described as politically motivated.