According to a report by Vanguard on Friday, May 22, 2026, David Umahi, the Minister of Works, has called on people of the South-East geopolitical zone to give overwhelming electoral support to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
He cautioned that failing to do so could affect the continuation and completion of key federal infrastructure projects currently ongoing across the region, especially those tied to road and bridge development under the present administration.
Umahi made the appeal on Wednesday during an on-the-spot inspection of several federal road construction and bridge projects located in Ebonyi State.
The inspection formed part of his routine assessment of ongoing works under the Federal Ministry of Works, where he reviewed progress, construction quality, and compliance with project specifications across multiple sites within the state.
During the visit, the minister described the level of federal infrastructure development in the South-East as unmatched in previous administrations.
He stated that the current government had committed significant resources to road expansion, rehabilitation, and new highway construction projects across the zone, emphasizing that such scale of investment had not been witnessed before in the region’s history.
One of the major projects highlighted during the inspection was the Calabar–Ebonyi–Benue–Nasarawa–Abuja Superhighway, which is classified as one of the flagship legacy infrastructure projects of the administration.
Umahi explained that the segment running from Ndibe Beach in Ebonyi State to the boundary between Ebonyi and Benue covers approximately 123 kilometres and is being constructed using reinforced concrete pavement.
He added that the design also includes solar-powered street lighting, with the project valued at about N454 billion.
He further disclosed that the Federal Government had already disbursed about 50 percent of the required funding for the project.
According to him, additional administrative processes were ongoing to secure approvals for the dualisation of strategic portions of the highway in order to enhance traffic flow, safety, and long-term durability of the road corridor linking multiple states.
Umahi also provided updates on another section of the superhighway corridor, which extends approximately 178 kilometres from the Ebonyi–Benue boundary through parts of Benue, Kogi, and Nasarawa States, terminating at Oweto Bridge.
He stated that this segment carries a contract valuation of about N685 billion.
While acknowledging that contractors were facing some financial constraints in executing the works, he maintained that the Federal Government remained fully committed to fulfilling all funding obligations tied to the project.
He also noted that the South-East had regained a stronger presence in national decision-making under the current administration, pointing to his appointment as Minister of Works and the distribution of major infrastructure projects across the region as evidence.
Umahi projected that significant portions of the ongoing works would be completed before the end of the year and urged residents of the South-East to approach the 2027 elections with strategic consideration rather than sentiment.
“This election is not a lottery. The presidency is not won by sentiment but by strategic planning. We must support the President to complete these projects and secure greater opportunities for the South-East,” he said…….See More
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