Dave Umahi
Minister of Works and former Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has come under intense criticism after declaring that it is not yet the turn of the Igbo to produce Nigeria’s next president, insisting instead that the current political moment belongs to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Umahi made the remarks on Thursday, September 24, 2026, in Benin City, Edo State, during the flag-off of the Federal Ministry of Works’ intervention on the Benin-Asaba Highway under the “Operation Rescue Benin-Asaba Road” event.
The comments came as he defended the Tinubu administration’s record and responded to comparisons between himself and former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi.
Reacting to suggestions that Obi was not his match, Umahi said: “When that guy says that Peter Obi is not my match, it took me ten minutes to think about it; is it in my larger family background that his is better than my own? Is it in intellectual capacity? Is it in what we have done for the people of South-East? Is it what we did when we were governors? So, when you say he’s not my match, put it side by side and tell me in what way Peter Obi is better than me.”
He then addressed the long-standing aspiration of the South-East for the presidency. “What we are saying is that it’s not the turn of the Igbo yet. I heard in today’s this thing one charlatan that was saying ‘oh no, the Igbos can never be president’. That guy will not be alive when the Igbos become president because we will one day become president but it is not yet our turn, it is the turn of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Umahi stated.
The minister added that he personally harbours presidential ambitions but believes the timing is not right. “I want to be president, but it’s not yet our turn. It’s the turn of President Bola Tinubu. When it is our turn, at the time of God, He makes all things beautiful,” he said. Umahi urged support for Tinubu’s continuity, arguing that the president’s infrastructure projects across the South-East, South-South and other regions demonstrate fairness and deserve backing.
The remarks quickly drew sharp criticism from public commentators, analysts and online users, many of whom accused Umahi of prioritising personal or political loyalty over the collective interest of the South-East. Critics argued that power rotation in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic has traditionally been between the North and the South, not tied to individual incumbents, and that the South-East remains the only major zone yet to produce a president since 1999.
Public affairs analyst Adedayo Oluwatosin described Umahi’s position as driven by self-interest. “I call what Umahi is doing selfishness. He is not happy that Obi is more popular than him… He is scheming to position himself, maybe, for the position of vice president in 2031. Otherwise, how can anybody say it is not the Igbo’s turn yet? Power rotates between the North and the South. When you talk about the South, Obasanjo (South-West) has been president for eight years, and Goodluck Jonathan (South-South) has been president for five years. It is only the Igbo (South-East) that has not produced a president,” Oluwatosin said. He further questioned any comparison between Umahi and Obi, stating that the two men are “poles apart.”
Lagos businessman Chidozie Okafor accused Umahi and similar figures of being motivated by “stomach infrastructure” and jealousy of Obi’s profile. He maintained that many Nigerians, including some from the North, view 2027 as an opportunity for an Igbo candidate, particularly Obi, whom he described as the most competent contender. “Umahi’s argument can only make sense to people like him; people who are envious of Obi’s rising profile,” Okafor said.
Lagos lawyer Marcellus Onah dismissed Umahi’s view as insignificant, arguing that growing support for Obi across regions shows the momentum has shifted. James Okoye expressed regret that some South-East figures appear to be undermining a potential regional candidate while others from outside the zone support him, pointing to Obi’s clean record with anti-graft agencies as a key strength.
Netizens have similarly lampooned the minister online, with many portraying the statement as an attempt to curry favour with the presidency at the expense of long-held regional aspirations for equity and inclusion.
Umahi has previously urged South-East leaders to educate constituents on the Tinubu administration’s achievements in the region and has called for strategic alliances rather than what he terms politics of hate or sentiment. In related comments, he has insisted that an Igbo presidency will come in due time after Tinubu completes an eight-year tenure, and that the zone must first support other regions to secure reciprocal backing later.
The controversy highlights ongoing debates over zoning, power rotation and regional equity ahead of the 2027 general elections. While Umahi maintains that the South-East’s opportunity will arrive “at the time of God,” his critics insist the zone’s claim is already overdue and that individual political calculations should not override it.
As of Sunday, September 27, 2026, there has been no immediate formal response from Umahi or the presidency to the wave of criticism. Political observers expect the debate over South-East representation in the presidency to intensify in the coming months.
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