A leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Enugu State, Comrade Adolphus Ude, has faulted recent comments by the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, that Igbos are happy and comfortable with the inclusive governance of President Bola Tinubu.
Ude, who is the pioneer Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State and current coordinator of ADC Enugu Like Minds, described Umahi’s remarks as misleading, selfish and unrepresentative of the prevailing sentiments in the South-East.
He went further to tag the minister an “efulefu” (slave) to those he accused of short-changing Ndigbo.
Umahi had, during an inspection of ongoing federal infrastructure projects in the South-East, blamed Igbo marginalisation for the resurgence of Biafra agitation but maintained that the region is now well integrated into national governance and satisfied with the Tinubu administration.
However, reacting in a press statement on Thursday, Ude insisted that marginalisation of the South-East has worsened rather than improved since President Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, particularly in federal appointments and allocation of major infrastructure.
While reaffirming that members of Enugu ADC Like Minds believe in a strong, united and indivisible Nigeria and do not support secessionist agitation, Ude rejected in totality Umahi’s assertion that Igbos are happy with what he described as “so-called inclusive governance.”
He posed a series of questions, “Which of the long-standing grievances of the South-East has the Tinubu administration addressed?
“What has the Tinubu government done differently for the Igbos from what successive governments did?
“Which inclusive governance is the ‘efulefu’ minister referring to when the entire South-East was excluded from the two outrageously priced signature road projects — the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Highway?”
Ude lamented that none of the multi-trillion-naira signature projects passed through any of the five South-East states of Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi, “not even as a bypass.”
He also expressed regret that federal road projects inherited by the Tinubu administration in the region have suffered slow execution.
According to him, major highways such as the Enugu–Port Harcourt, Owerri–Onitsha and Enugu–Onitsha expressways remain uncompleted more than two years into the administration.
He recalled that in January 2024, Umahi announced the commencement of the Ninth Mile–Enugu–Makurdi Highway, noting that nearly two years later, the Enugu axis of the road remains in a deplorable condition.
“Whether the concrete roads will last 50 to 100 years or forever, let him complete them first before talking about durability,” Ude said.
The ADC chieftain also drew attention to media reports indicating that the Federal Executive Council approved projects worth about N3.9tn for Lagos State alone within two years, challenging the Works Minister to disclose the total monetary value of federal road projects currently ongoing in the entire South-East.
Ude cautioned Umahi against what he described as unguarded utterances capable of harming Igbo interests, stressing that “no wise politician plays politics with the destiny of his own people.”
He further argued that without equity, fairness and justice in infrastructure allocation, Nigeria cannot achieve balanced development, warning that continued imbalance would only fuel agitation and instability.
Ude alleged that the South-East has also suffered marginalisation in ministerial appointments and leadership positions in federal agencies under the Tinubu administration.
“Ogun State alone has four ministerial positions, just one short of the five ministerial slots given to the entire South-East,” he said, adding that the region has also been sidelined in the appointment of heads of major parastatals and agencies.