The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Enugu State has declared that the South-East will not support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election, while also rejecting alleged remarks credited to the Minister of Works, David Umahi, concerning federal infrastructure projects in the region.
According to reports by Vanguard, the party challenged Umahi to “do his worst,” insisting that no amount of political pressure or intimidation would influence the voting decisions of the South-East electorate.
The controversy followed comments allegedly made by Umahi during an inspection of federal road and bridge projects in Ebonyi State, where he was said to have urged the South-East to support President Tinubu’s re-election or risk losing ongoing federal projects.
The minister reportedly also stated that the region had regained political relevance under the current administration.
Reacting to the development, the Enugu State Secretary of the ADC, Adolphus Ude, described the alleged comments as “reckless, irresponsible, and unacceptable.”
Ude accused the minister of attempting to blackmail and intimidate the South-East ahead of the 2027 elections, stressing that the region would not be forced into supporting any political candidate.
“The South-East cannot be coerced into political submission. Our people remain politically independent and will make their choices freely,” he stated.
The ADC chieftain also rejected claims that the Tinubu administration has addressed the marginalisation of the South-East, arguing instead that the region’s exclusion has worsened under the current government.
He challenged Umahi to publicly identify the major federal projects currently being executed in the South-East, including their exact locations and financial value.
According to him, flagship national projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Highway do not significantly benefit the region.
Ude further argued that many of the projects being referenced were inherited from previous administrations, insisting that there are no major new federal infrastructure projects presently ongoing in the South-East.
He also questioned the status of the River Niger dredging project and lamented the continued absence of a functional rail system across the region.
On political appointments, Ude alleged that the South-East remains underrepresented in the Federal Executive Council, noting that the region currently has only five ministers, three of whom are ministers of state.
He additionally raised concerns over passport processing challenges in the South-East, claiming that residents are now compelled to travel to Abuja to obtain international passports because passport machines in the region are allegedly inactive.
Ude maintained that the South-East owes no political loyalty to President Tinubu, recalling that the President lost all five South-East states during the 2023 presidential election.
According to him, the political atmosphere ahead of 2027 has not changed in the President’s favour.
He therefore called on David Umahi to withdraw the alleged remarks and apologise to Ndigbo for what he described as a condescending statement toward the region.
