By Stella Odueme
Francis Nwaze, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Works on Media and Southeast Zonal Coordinator of the 2027 Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, has defended the record of Minister of Works, David Umahi, against criticisms by Valentine Obienyem, a media aide to former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi.
Nwaze, in a statement titled “Peter Obi’s Selective Inclusion and Umahi’s Record of Service,” on Friday, faulted Obienyem for presenting Obi as a model of inclusive leadership without citing what he described as comparable evidence of Obi’s appointments of Ebonyians or his contributions to the wider Southeast.
He said Obienyem’s argument failed to address the central question of what Obi did for Ebonyians and the Southeast that should make him the standard by which Umahi’s record is judged.
According to Nwaze, Umahi’s statement that Ebonyi would not vote for Obi was specifically directed at Ebonyians and did not amount to excluding Ebonyi from the Southeast.
He said Umahi had also repeatedly advised people of the Southeast to deploy their votes strategically rather than support what he described as an unsuccessful political venture.
Nwaze further challenged Obienyem to identify prominent Ebonyians who occupied significant positions in the Anambra State Government during Obi’s tenure as governor.
He contrasted this with what he described as Umahi’s record of appointing people from Anambra into positions in Ebonyi State.
He listed Charles Emeka Akpuenika, who served as Ebonyi Commissioner for Youths and Sports; Rose Ezeadikwa, who served with the State Universal Basic Education Board; Chinaco Nzeakor, former Special Assistant to the Governor on Internal Security; Rev. Euphraim Ononye, former Chairman of the Ebonyi State Pilgrims Board; and Uchem Oka, who served as Technical Assistant to the governor.
Nwaze argued that these appointments demonstrated Umahi’s willingness to accommodate people from other parts of the Southeast in his administration.
He also defended Umahi’s development record as governor of Ebonyi State, citing the construction of 14 twin flyovers, concrete roads, the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, the Ebonyi State International Shopping Mall and the state airport.
According to him, several of the projects were executed through direct labour, which he said helped reduce costs and preserve public resources.
Nwaze also highlighted Umahi’s current role as Minister of Works, saying the minister had used the position to support major infrastructure projects across the Southeast.
He cited the Enugu-Onitsha Road, Eke-Obinagu Flyover, access roads to the Second Niger Bridge, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the First Niger Bridge and the Calabar-Ebonyi-Enugu-Benue-Nasarawa-Abuja Superhighway among projects he said were contributing to infrastructure development in the region.
He said the projects were part of the infrastructure programme of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration and argued that their impact could be assessed through physical infrastructure rather than political rhetoric.
Nwaze also rejected references to Umahi’s family and the death of Mary Habila in the political exchange, arguing that the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death should not be used as a political instrument.
He criticised Obienyem’s use of words such as “Judas,” “mad dog,” “crude” and “nonsense,” describing them as personal attacks rather than substantive responses to the issues raised.
The minister's aide said Umahi’s public service record included serving as Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Governor of the state, Chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum, Senator representing Ebonyi South and, currently, Minister of Works.
He maintained that the comparison between Umahi and Obi should be based on documented records of public service, appointments, infrastructure and institutional development.
Nwaze concluded by saying that Ebonyi people had made their own political choices and were committed to President Tinubu through Umahi.
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