Enugu ADC Leader Slams Umahi Over Alleged South-East Marginalisation

A major stakeholder in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Enugu State, Comrade Adolphus Ude, has slammed the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, for claiming that Igbos were happy and comfortable with what he called inclusive governance of President Bola Tinubu.

Ude, the pioneer Deputy Chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Enugu State, said contrary to Umahi’s claim, the Igbo marginalisation remained widespread under the Tinubu government.

Recall that while inspecting some ongoing federal infrastructure projects in the South-East a few days ago, Umahi blamed the marginalisation of Igbos for Biafra agitation.

The former Ebonyi State governor, however, declared that Igbos are today well integrated into the mainstream of the nation and the people of the South-East are now comfortable and happy with Tinubu administration.

But, reacting in a press statement on Thursday, Ude, who’s currently the Coordinator of ADC Enugu Like Minds, described the comments made by Umahi as misleading, selfish, unwarranted and not a reflection of the sentiments in the South-East today.

According to the ADC chieftain, the marginalisation of the Igbos, rather than abate, has worsened since President Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, both in allocation of federal infrastructure and appointments.

While pointing out that members of Enugu ADC Like Minds believed in one strong, united and indivisible Nigeria and do not support secessionist agitation in any form, Ude rejected in its entirety the statement by the Minister of Works Umahi that Igbos were happy and comfortable with the ‘inclusive governance’ of President Tinubu.

He raised some posers: “Which of the long-standing grievances of the South-East region has the Tinubu administration addressed? What has the Tinubu government done for the Igbos, different from what successive governments did?

“Which inclusive governance is the Minister talking about when the entire South-East was excluded from the two outrageously priced signature road infrastructure projects of the Tinubu administration – the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Highway – both awarded to the controversial Hitech Construction Company Limited?”

Speaking further, Ude lamented that none of these multi-trillion Naira signature road projects of the Tinubu administration passed through any of the five South-East states of Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi, even as an ordinary bypass.

He regretted that none of the ongoing federal road projects in the South-East inherited by the Tinubu administration two and half years ago, has been completed, stressing that work has been very slow on the Enugu-Port Harcourt, the Owerri-Onitsha expressway and Enugu-Onitsha expressway projects.

He continued: “In January 2024, Umahi told us that the Federal Government had commenced the Ninth Mile-Enugu-Makurdi Highway. Almost two years after, the Enugu-Axis, which is within the South East remains in a decrepit state.

“Umahi claimed that these concrete roads when completed, will last 50-100 years. Whether they will last forever or not, let him complete them first before talking about how long the roads will last.”

An obviously angry Ude drew attention to a headline in the media a few months ago that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved projects worth about N3.9 trillion to Lagos State alone in two years and consequently, challenged Umahi to say the monetary worth of the ongoing federal road infrastructure projects in the entire South-East, to buttress the inclusion of the Igbos by the Tinubu administration.

He cautioned the Works Minister against making unguarded utterances that could be detrimental to Igbo interest now and in future, adding that no wise politician plays politics with the destiny of his own people.

The ADC chieftain noted that without equity, fairness and justice in the allocation of infrastructure, Nigeria cannot have a balanced development, short of which there would be no peace and progress, and people would continue to engage in one form of agitation or the other.

Besides the alleged imbalance in the allocation of projects against the SouthzEast, Ude stated that the Igbos have suffered serious marginalisation in ministerial positions and other federal appointments under the Tinubu government.

“Ogun state alone has four ministerial positions, one shy of the five ministerial positions given to the entire South-East region by the Tinubu administration, just as the region was marginalized in the appointment of heads of major parastatals and agencies,” he stated.