Minister of Works, David Umahi, has revealed that he informed the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, that he would also be on the ballot in the 2027 presidential election.
Umahi made the remark in a video while inspecting an ongoing road project on Sunday. He said that if President Bola Tinubu contests the 2027 election, then he, too, would be on the ballot as part of the President’s ticket.
The minister’s comments come just days after Obi declined his invitation to a public debate on their respective performances as former state governors.
Obi had dismissed the proposed debate, arguing that Umahi was not qualified to engage him on that platform and advising the minister to first become a presidential candidate before seeking such a debate.
Responding, the Minister said, “I’ve told him that I’m on the ballot. You know, when President Bola Tinubu is on the ballot, I’m on the ballot.
“Because I don’t want this project to stop. I want it to be completed. So I want all of us together to win with President Bola Tinubu.”
ALSO READ: David Umahi fires back at Peter Obi: I don’t need to be a presidential candidate to educate you
BACKSTORY:
A public war of words has continued between the Minister of Works, David Umahi, and the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, over their respective records as former governors and the performance of the current administration.
The disagreement began after Obi criticised the pace and quality of infrastructure development under President Bola Tinubu’s government, prompting Umahi to defend the administration’s projects and challenge the former Anambra State governor to a public debate on their achievements while serving as governors of Ebonyi and Anambra states, respectively.
Obi, however, declined the invitation, arguing that Umahi was not his political counterpart. He maintained that the minister was not a presidential candidate and therefore was not qualified to engage him in a debate, suggesting that such an exchange would only be appropriate with someone contesting the presidency.
Responding to Obi’s position while inspecting an ongoing road project, Umahi insisted that he was indeed on the 2027 presidential ballot because he would be part of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election ticket if the President contests. The minister argued that this gave him sufficient standing to engage Obi in a public debate, further deepening the verbal exchange between the two political figures ahead of the 2027 general election.
