ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Minister of Works, David Umahi, has dismissed suggestions that Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi poses a political threat to President Bola Tinubu, declaring that the former Anambra State governor lacks the political weight to challenge either him or the President ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Tuesday as political activities ahead of the next general election continue to gather momentum, Umahi maintained that neither Tinubu nor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had any reason to be worried about Obi’s growing profile or influence.
The minister made the remarks during an appearance on Arise Television’s Daybreak Show, where he argued that what many perceive as Obi’s political strength is largely driven by hype rather than electoral reality.
“Even I cannot be scared of Peter Obi, not to talk about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or our party, the APC. What displays around Peter Obi is AI politics. It is putting something on nothing. Nobody is scared of Peter Obi. He is not a threat to our president because Peter Obi himself knows very well that he cannot even face me, let alone face the president,” Umahi said.
His comments come as the Tinubu administration continues to face criticism over economic hardship and governance, with Obi remaining one of the administration’s most outspoken critics ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
READ ALSO 2027: Voting Obi Means Backing Tinubu – Kenneth Okonkwo
Umahi also questioned Obi’s record during his eight years as governor of Anambra State, insisting that the former governor lacks the moral standing to ask President Tinubu to resign.
“I read where it was said that Peter Obi said Tinubu should resign because of this, and I asked myself: How many times did Peter Obi resign as governor of Anambra State for failure to fix the roads, failure to establish industry, failure to empower people, failure to establish an airport, or failure to establish a seaport? Failure to pay contractors,” he said.
The minister further accused members of the Obidient Movement of intolerance, alleging that those who express contrary opinions are often subjected to insults, threats and legal action.
“Look at the pattern of politics around Peter Obi. You disagree with him, then he takes you to court. How many times have you been abusing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu? How many people has he taken to court?
“Look at the Obidient movement. You disagree, they insult people, they wish people dead, they issue threats and all kinds of things. Is that the kind of behaviour we want?” Umahi asked.
READ ALSO Obi Faults Tinubu’s Security Strategy, Seeks Holistic Reforms
He also challenged members of the Obidient Movement to publicly debate him on infrastructure development and the Tinubu administration’s reform agenda, expressing confidence that the government’s achievements would withstand public scrutiny.
On the economy, Umahi argued that President Tinubu inherited deep-rooted structural challenges built over several decades, insisting that it would be unrealistic to expect such problems to be resolved within three years.
“The darkest part of the night is the dawn. There were so many practices by the previous administration that occasioned us into what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited.
“For those who are crying of hunger, put all the indices on the table. Is it road infrastructure? Is it education? Is it health? Which one has gone worse than how the president inherited it? When you are healing a wound, you don’t expect the wound to heal overnight. An economy doesn’t turn around instantly within three years,” he said.
Making a case for Tinubu’s re-election, Umahi maintained that the administration’s reforms are beginning to produce tangible results and insisted that none of the opposition figures seeking the presidency possesses the capacity to outperform the incumbent.
“Let people be fair, rather than just speaking because they want power. None of the political aspirants or candidates from other parties can do what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing. There are a lot of successes and reforms that are beginning to yield a lot of dividends. None of them can do what this man is doing,” the minister added.