Umahi and those who betray their brothers, by Emmanuel Aziken
David Umahi, Nigeria's Minister of Works and former governor of Ebonyi State, has built much of his political argument around infrastructure delivery, loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and his disagreement with Peter Obi's presidential ambition. Yet, a statement he made during the run-up to the 2023 elections continues to raise questions about consistency, political loyalty and the place of South-East interests in Nigeria's power equation. In June 2022, following the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary, Umahi expressed anger that South-East delegates had failed to rally behind an aspirant from their region. He had polled 38 votes, while Tinubu won the ticket with 1,271 votes. Umahi argued that the contest was about more than his personal ambition: it was an opportunity for the South-East to demonstrate its capacity and determination to produce Nigeria's president. "I continue to let them know that he that sells his brother or sister, even the buyers will not trust him," Umahi said. He also declared that the outcome was a shame for a region whose leaders had consistently complained of marginalisation. The remark was powerful because it framed political support as a question of solidarity and trust. Umahi maintained that delegates should have voted for any South-East aspirant, irrespective of personal preference, to send a message that the region was qualified to lead the country. He accused delegates of trading their votes and warned that those who betrayed their own would eventually struggle to earn the confidence of others. But political history rarely offers the comfort of simple loyalties. Umahi himself had left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC in November 2020, after serving as governor, deputy governor and party chairman under the PDP. His defection was publicly linked to his conviction that the South-East needed a fair opportunity to produce the president. He subsequently sought the APC ticket, but his 38 votes exposed the limits of regional solidarity within a national party whose delegates had their own calculations. The question now is whether the principle Umahi invoked in 2022 should apply only to the pursuit of a South-East presidency or also to broader questions of political representation, fairness and national inclusion. Following the 2023 election, Umahi joined Tinubu's federal cabinet as Minister of Works. He has since defended the administration's infrastructure agenda and argued that federal projects demonstrate the President's commitment to the South-East. In June 2025, he reportedly cited federal appointments and projects in the region as evidence of what he described as Tinubu's commitment to national integration. There is nothing inherently contradictory about a South-East politician serving in a government led by a president from another region. Nor should ministerial appointments be reduced to an ethnic headcount. A minister's primary responsibility is to Nigeria as a whole, and the performance of the Works Ministry should be judged by the quality, cost, timeliness and public value of infrastructure projects. Nevertheless, Umahi's earlier argument about regional fairness makes it legitimate to ask how consistently he raises concerns about representation and opportunity across the federation. If he once insisted that the South-East should not surrender its presidential aspiration without a fight, Nigerians may reasonably ask whether he applies comparable scrutiny to questions of inclusion within the administration he now serves. This question becomes particularly relevant in his exchanges with Peter Obi. Obi's 2023 presidential campaign drew substantial support in the South-East, where he defeated Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar in the presidential election. Umahi later said members of his own family had voted for Obi, describing the development as a surprise. The comment offered a glimpse of how deeply Obi's appeal had penetrated even communities where Umahi had exercised considerable political influence.…
