The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has dismissed suggestions that Peter Obi poses a serious threat to President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Umahi made the assertion while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, arguing that Obi is not the only presidential contender from the South-East.
According to the minister, several other aspirants from the region are also expected to participate in the election, making it difficult to regard Obi as the APC’s sole challenge in the South-East.
“By the way, it is not only Peter Obi that is from the South-East that is contesting. We have about three or four other presidential candidates who are contesting,” Umahi said.
He added, “So, Peter Obi is not a threat as far as I am concerned.”
However, the former Ebonyi State governor said his assessment should not be interpreted as an attempt to underestimate Obi, whom he described as a significant political figure.
Umahi expressed confidence that the APC would perform strongly across the South-East in 2027, attributing the party’s poor showing in the region during the 2023 election partly to what he described as the marginalisation of the South-East under the previous administration.
He argued that the Tinubu administration had changed the situation through appointments and what he described as visible development projects in the region.
“I will not blame the South-East in the last election because, virtually, we were not fairly treated by the past administration,” Umahi said.
He cited the appointment of South-East politicians to major federal positions, including his own appointment as Minister of Works, as evidence that the region is receiving greater attention under Tinubu.
Umahi consequently expressed optimism that the APC could win all five South-East states in the 2027 presidential election.
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, won all five states in the South-East, making the region a significant political stronghold for him.
