Socio-political group known as the Ndigbo for Tinubu 2027 Forum (NDI-ABAT) has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s prospects in the Southeast ahead of the 2027 general elections are heavily tied to the performance and political influence of the Minister of Works, Engr Dave Umahi, asserting that “without Umahi, Tinubu cannot win the Southeast.”
In a press release issued and jointly signed by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, National Coordinator of NDI-ABAT, and Dr. Ugwuoke Ugwuoke Jr, the Secretary General, the group extolled the Federal Government for the reopening of the long-abandoned Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, describing the development as a landmark achievement that has restored confidence among the Igbo populace in the administration’s commitment to regional infrastructure.
It noted that the expressway, which serves as a critical economic corridor in the Southeast, had suffered nearly three decades of neglect, dating back to successive military and civilian administrations.
According to the group, the last major rehabilitation of the road occurred in 1996 under the regime of Sani Abacha through the Petroleum Trust Fund initiative.
NDI-ABAT commended President Tinubu for not only fulfilling a key campaign promise made during the 2023 elections but also for adopting durable construction methods, specifically concrete cement technology, in the reconstruction of the expressway.
The group argued that this intervention has significantly mitigated the longstanding risks of fatal accidents, economic disruptions, and loss of lives associated with the road’s prior dilapidated state.
“The reopening of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway marks a turning point in federal infrastructure delivery in the Southeast,” the statement read, adding that the project symbolizes a deliberate effort by the Tinubu administration to address historical grievances of marginalization in the region.
The forum, however, underscored that the execution of such projects would not have been possible without the direct support and approvals granted by President Tinubu to Senator Umahi, whose “superlative performance” as Minister of Works was credited for accelerating road construction and rehabilitation across the country, particularly in the Southeast.
According to NDI-ABAT, Umahi has emerged as the most strategic political ally of the President in the region, playing a pivotal role in repositioning the administration’s image and electoral viability ahead of 2027.
The group maintained that his ongoing and completed infrastructure projects provide tangible evidence capable of swaying public opinion in favor of the ruling party.
The coalition further projected that with Umahi’s continued stewardship and visible infrastructural footprint, President Tinubu stands a strong chance of defeating key opposition figures, including Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, in the Southeast during the 2027 presidential election.
Nevertheless, NDI-ABAT cautioned that sustaining this momentum would require intensified federal presence through the completion of additional strategic road networks.
It specifically called for expedited work on major superhighway projects, including the Calabar–Abakaliki–Benue–Kogi–Abuja Superhighway and the Makurdi–Nsukka–9th Mile–Enugu Superhighway, which it described as vital to unlocking the region’s economic potential.
Stressing on the broader political advisory to the President, the organization noted that only a handful of committed allies within the ruling establishment are actively working to secure his re-election bid, with Umahi identified as the foremost figure in the Southeast driving that agenda.
